How Do Rear-End Collisions Impact Your Body?
Of all the ways you can get into a car accident, being rear-ended might seem like the least serious. Most rear-end accidents are relatively minor, with a low fatality rate and cosmetic car damage frequently being the biggest concern. Unfortunately, though, many people ignore symptoms of tissue and muscle injury after a rear-end accident. The truth is, no matter how minor an accident may seem, rear-end collision injuries are common and frequently serious.
The Impact of a Rear-End Accident on Your Body
What exactly happens when your car is hit by another car from behind? The damage done to your vehicle will be apparent, but it’s harder to tell exactly how your body has been impacted. In any instance of impact, though, your body is at risk of injury due to overextension and potential tears to your muscles and tissue. When your body is forced into an object — whether it’s your seatbelt, steering wheel, or dashboard — you are at risk of serious injury, even if your injury isn’t immediately visible.
Injuries Caused by Rear-End Collisions
Injuries caused by rear-end collisions most commonly affect the neck and back — two of the most vulnerable parts of your body. This is because sudden, jerking movements, such as those your experience when you are rear-ended, impose excessive force on your body. Your spine is susceptible to injuries, and a seemingly minor pull in the wrong direction can result in a severe injury.
Injuries are thus almost inevitable in an accident. Some of the injuries most commonly caused by rear-end accidents include the following:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Herniated discs
- Whiplash
- Concussions
Symptoms of these injuries may not always be apparent immediately following an accident. In fact, it can take 24 to 48 hours for the pain to appear, and sometimes even longer. The adrenaline rush that happens during a collision often masks the physical symptoms of injury that you would otherwise feel. Never assume that you are not injured simply because you do not feel pain.
What happens if you are injured and you do not seek treatment? In ignoring their symptoms, many people unknowingly put themselves at risk of permanent injury. A herniated disc, for example, can be treated by a car accident doctor in Brooklyn, NY, but if it is ignored, permanent nerve damage can easily result. Similarly, it is difficult to tell the difference between a muscle that is strained or torn. If a tear is undiagnosed and left untreated, it can rupture, robbing you of your mobility.
Seeking Treatment After an Accident
Seeking treatment is essential after a car accident, but you might not know where to start. Many different healthcare providers are insisting that their mode of treatment is the best. Rather than gamble with your health, seek out a doctor who specializes in car accident care. This can help you determine whether you need chiropractic care, physical therapy, surgery, or a combination of treatments.
Chiropractic treatment for rear-end collision is one of the most effective options available. Chiropractors help patients by providing adjustments — a procedure in which a muscle or spinal joint is manually manipulated using an instrument or the practitioner’s hands. Other treatments include guided exercise, transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), and hydrotherapy. Auto accident chiropractors can restore spinal motion that has been lost due to the impact of an accident and can even help you maintain better health after an accident, too.
In addition to chiropractic care, a doctor may recommend physical therapy following an accident. Studies indicate that physical therapy helps patients recover faster and minimizes the long-term effects of car accident injuries. A physical therapist will focus primarily on helping you regain lost movement due to an accident. They typically accomplish this through strategic exercises and therapy you can often learn how to do at home.
Other specialists who can help injured motor vehicle accidents in Brooklyn include neurologists, orthopedists, and pain management, doctors.
Find Post-Collision Care You Can Trust
After an accident, you deserve a health care provider who can give you the guidance and treatment you need to recover. That’s precisely what Metro Healthcare Partners offers to patients in the Brooklyn, NY area. No matter what kind of treatment you need, you can trust the staff of trained professionals specializing in chiropractic care, physical therapy, orthopedics, neurology, and pain management. We accept most insurance plans, including medical liens, no-fault, and workers’ compensation. Schedule an appointment for more information on how Metro Healthcare Partners can help you recover.