Lower Back Pain from a Car Crash? How a Chiropractor Can Help

In our state, you can hardly get anywhere without having a car, and with so many vehicles on the road, accidents are bound to happen.

Last year, there were 395,800 car crashes in Florida resulting in 254,155 injuries. So far this year, we have experienced 300,649 crashes with 189,659 injuries – and we’ve still got a couple of months to go.

While car accident injuries can range from minor to severe, lower back pain is one of the most common injuries people suffer from when they’ve been involved in a car crash. What’s the best way to treat this common injury?

You might be surprised to learn that just this year, the American College of Physicians recommended non-drug treatments, such as spinal manipulation and other chiropractic care, be used first for lower back pain.

The reason? Because chiropractic care is noninvasive and focuses on healing the body naturally.

Let’s look at how chiropractic care, specifically spinal manipulation, can help treat the lower back injury you got from a car accident.

Spinal Manipulation Can Help Alleviate Your Lower Back Pain

Manipulative therapy is one of the most commonly used chiropractic treatment options for all types of pain, including lower back pain.

The goal of spinal manipulation, also called subluxation, is to properly align the spine through spinal adjustments in order to reduce pain and nerve irritability, increase range of motion, and improve your body’s overall functionality.

So how does spinal manipulation work?

Spinal manipulation involves a chiropractor applying manipulation – short and quick lever arm thrusts – to the specific vertebrae that are displaced, abnormal, or not functioning as they should.

Spinal adjustments aren’t painful, and are usually accompanied by an audible release of gas called joint cavitation. Oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen are released due to the reduction in pressure between your joints.

You know how people crack their knuckles and it produces a loud popping or cracking sound? That sound is the same release of gas that can happen during spinal adjustments.

Once the gas has been released from your joints, you’ll usually feel an immediate sensation of relief, relaxation, or satisfaction. This is because the pressure has been alleviated and the pain and discomfort you were feeling will start to diminish.

Side effects from spinal manipulation are rare, but the most common complaint tends to involve temporary soreness at the location where the spine was adjusted. Depending on the severity of your pain and the condition of your spine, this is to be expected. With regular chiropractic care, though, your spine will continue to improve, which will, in turn, relieve your pain.

Is Chiropractic Care Right for My Lower Back Pain?

Before any type of chiropractic care is used, a skilled chiropractor will conduct a thorough assessment to determine the best, individualized treatment plan. Along with spinal manipulation, a chiropractor might consider other treatment options such as electric stim therapy, massage therapy, ultrasound, intersegmental traction, or other forms of physical therapy.

A knowledgeable chiropractor will discuss the goals you want to achieve with chiropractic care – not only related to your lower back pain injury but also related to the overall functionality of your body.

If you’re looking for a way to reduce your lower back pain naturally, contact an experienced South Florida chiropractor today to schedule an appointment and get on the road to recovery.

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.