Injured by Irma? A Knowledgeable Chiropractor Can Help

Hurricane Irma has now left Florida, but the problems remain. If you or someone you love was injured in this massive storm, you might be unsure how to cope with your injury.

Learn what injuries are most common in hurricanes, and how a chiropractor can help relieve your symptoms.

Typical Hurricane-Related Injuries and Illnesses

The most common injuries or illnesses due to hurricanes include the following:

• Cuts and lacerations. Flying debris during a storm can cause many types of bodily harm, including puncture wounds and abrasions. After a storm, you may be injured by walking in areas where debris or broken glass poses a threat.

• Crush injuries. Hurricanes and tornadoes can cause objects to fall on you, and you may sustain crush injuries. These can range from broken bones to bruised muscles. Compound fractures pose a risk of infection, so it’s important to receive immediate medical care.
• Strains and sprains. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, 86% of nonfatal reported events were injuries. The most common injuries were cuts or lacerations, followed by strains and sprains. When your body is in an awkward position during a storm, you can suffer from strains and sprains.
• Headaches or migraines. According to a report after Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike in 2008, 60% of people treated in shelters received care for acute pain, including headaches.
• Contaminated water. Flooding can cause backup in the public water system, when sewage can contaminate the water supply. Use bottled water or a purification system until the water is safe to drink again.
• Food poisoning. If your power went out during the storm, your food may have spoiled. Be careful when consuming food left in a refrigerator or freezer that was above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, when dangerous bacteria can multiply.
• Respiratory issues. If your home experienced flooding, you may have mold growth, which can cause breathing problems and other health concerns. It’s important to clean up mold as soon as possible so that health problems don’t develop.

Hurricane Injuries a Skilled Florida Chiropractor Can Help You With

You can receive chiropractic treatments for any muscle pain, sprains and strains, headaches, or pain in your neck or back that has happened since the hurricane arrived. Here’s what a qualified chiropractor can do to help you.

Head or neck injury. If you have a head or neck injury related to an accident from the hurricane, an experienced chiropractor can help you strengthen the muscles in your neck and realign your spine to lessen your pain. They can massage your neck muscles and relieve the pressure on your vertebrae. This will help alleviate the headaches and migraines you may be experiencing.

Back pain. You can help alleviate back pain with home remedies like heating pads, ice packs, and warm baths. Staying hydrated and eating healthy foods will also reduce inflammation in your whole body, including your back.

So what can a chiropractor do? They can show you how to practice good posture. They will teach you exercises to strengthen your core muscles, which give you a stronger back. Your chiropractor can properly manipulate your spine, which will relieve pressure and help you manage your pain. Therapeutic massages or physical therapy may also be good chiropractic treatments for your condition.

Additionally, you may benefit from the use of an electric spine-stimulating device, which delivers a low-watt electrical current in gentle pulses to your spinal cord. For some people, the electrical sensation serves as a distraction from back pain.

A chiropractic adjustment will decrease pain in your back, shoulder, and neck. It will help relax your muscles and lower your anxiety.

Muscle pain. If you are experiencing muscle pain after a storm injury, your chiropractor can diagnose the causes for your problems. A massage from your chiropractor can help flush out toxins and relieve pain.

You may also benefit from kinesio taping. This special tape is latex free and heat activated, and it helps drain toxins from muscles. The tape is used to rehabilitate muscles with improved blood circulation. It can also prevent further injury.

Sprains and strains. Sprains occur when ligaments are stretched too far or torn. Strains occur when a muscle or tendon is torn. You may feel painful swelling or muscle spasms, and you be temporarily unable to move due to the pain.

Hydromassage is a good therapy for sprains and strains. Your chiropractor uses warm water and water pressure to soothe muscles. Hydromassage relieves tension, increases circulation, rejuvenates muscles, and decreases toxins.

Chiropractic care can not only help you recover from a hurricane injury, it can prevent future injuries from occurring. Schedule an appointment today to receive the help and healing you need.

About the Author:

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.