Relieve Neck and Back Pain After Your Car Accident

Car accidents can cause immediate painful injuries and symptoms, but they are also the culprits of painful reactions that don’t show up until days or even weeks later, sometimes longer. Delaying medical care can prolong healing and, even worse, potentially cause additional injury or pain without the intent to do so. Rather than shaking off the effects of a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately, even if you do not feel like your experience was severe. 

Internal damage and other serious injuries may not be identifiable to the untrained eye like they would be to a specialist. If you are concerned about financial obligations, you can rest easy knowing that Metro Health Partners also accepts no-fault and PIP (personal injury protection) insurance to ensure that you get the treatment you need without breaking the bank. Don’t wait for your condition to worsen. Seek out our pain management doctors in Brooklyn practice to help treat or prevent neck, lower back pain, knee, and other common injuries after your car accident in Brooklyn.

Common Neck Injuries From Car Accidents 

Sometimes even a hard brake can cause the neck injury whiplash, so imagine the damage that actual accidents can wreak on the body. Whiplash, likely the most common neck injury from a car accident, results from the rapid back and forth motion of your head due to an external force. This condition can range from mild to very severe, depending on the nature of the wreck. 

Many people experience the worst symptoms when rear-ended and hit another car in front of them, feeling the power of three conflicting forces at once. This injury is called whiplash due to its similarity to how a whip cracks down and then back up again with great violence. Whiplash can be successfully treated with a few weeks of therapy and pain management in most people, but for others, whiplash-associated disorders require long-term treatment to manage symptoms. 

Some common symptoms experienced by people suffering from neck injuries are:

• Migraines 
• Blurred vision
• Limited mobility and stiffness 
• Radiating pain 
• Paralysis 
• Tingling or numbness 
• Nausea
• Tinnitus 

Common Back Injuries From Car Accidents 

If you are experiencing lower back pain after car accident injuries or even full-body pain, a back injury could be the source of your discomfort. Back injuries are prevalent in auto accidents. Even in low-impact accidents, there is still a blunt force of motion that the body absorbs. Depending on the amount of pressure and the nature of the impact, injuries can range from minor strains to fractures and even broken bones.

It is crucial to remember that, unfortunately, misdiagnosis can also cause additional back pain from car accident treatment if patients do not seek specialized care. Maintaining documentation of the accident, all your injuries, and any doctors that you have seen can help us reach the most accurate diagnosis. Our providers specialize in pain management and auto accident recovery, and rehabilitation treatment to meet your specific needs. 

Some common back injuries that are a result of car accidents are:

• Spinal fractures 
• Compressed nerves 
• Herniated discs
• Inflamed sciatica nerve
• Spinal stenosis 
• Spinal cord injuries
• Spondylolisthesis 
• Facet joint injuries 

Customized Treatments for Neck and Back Injuries 

The first thing that the professionals at Metro Health Partners will do is conduct a series of diagnostic tests to determine the nature of your injuries. You will also undergo a physical exam and answer a series of questions to self-report your symptoms and injuries. We take your concerns very seriously and want to document everything you have to contribute about your condition. 

Next, you will have a series of imaging exams to determine more details depending on the nature of your accident and injuries. Our specialists use MRIs, X-rays, and NCV EMG tests to gather all the information necessary to make a treatment plan for the injuries sustained in common car accidents. Your treatment plan will include practical strategies to manage acute and chronic pain while healing from your auto accident injuries. We offer a variety of specialized treatments to meet your unique recovery needs. 

Exercise

Exercise is part of specific physical therapy treatments that increase mobility while decreasing pain, and exercise also works to rebuild muscles and increase circulation. The specific exercises you will be prescribed to complete will evolve as your healing progresses over time. 

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

TENS is a non-invasive pain control approach that blocks pain signals to the brain. Small electrode pads are placed on the body in specific places to transmit a low-level charge that releases natural pain suppressants from your body and aids in the healing process by stimulating the affected areas. TENS units are portable and are operable in home settings by patients.

Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, NY

Physical therapy involves strategic and varied approaches to the injuries sustained in your car accident. Physical therapy increases range of motion and strength while also increasing independence. Physical therapy can be short or long-term, depending on the effects of the accident on the body. Your care plan will routinely change based on your needs. 

Massage

Massage is used as a pain management technique that helps loosen muscles that may be strained or bruised from the accident. Your musculoskeletal system is responsive to pinpoint pressure therapy that releases built-up fluid. Massage can also increase the range of motion. 

Chiropractic Care in Brooklyn, NY

Chiropractic care involves an acute understanding of the musculoskeletal system to adjust and manipulate the muscles and spine. This practice consists in making accurate and purposeful adjustments that help discs slide back into place and spines maintain better spinal alignment. Chiropractic care is beneficial in treating compressed nerves and herniated discs; continued visits and long-term chiropractic care have the most beneficial results. 

Medically Managed Pain Control

The administration of analgesics, NSAIDs, narcotic medications, and muscle relaxants is suitable for acute pain while treating your accident injuries. Medicine is beneficial to increase mobility and return you to everyday obligations. We combine medically managed pain control with additional treatments to ensure that you maintain your independence while healing. 

Radiofrequency Ablation

To help treat radiating pain that limits mobility, a small needle is injected into the body through the spine, and a microelectrode is placed inside the needle. Then, a small radiofrequency current is sent through the electrode to heat your nerve tissue, blocking it from sending pain signals to your brain. This treatment is often repeated for best results. 

Prolotherapy

Used to treat muscle and joint injuries, prolotherapy is the repeated injection of an irritant to the interior of the affected muscle or joint. The irritant is usually a sugar solution, but it is enough to stimulate growth and is thought to reduce pain in the area eventually. 

Epidural Injections

Epidural injections are steroid injections that go in the spine and reduce the inflammation of nerves and discs that cause ongoing pain. Steroids reduce swelling and irritation to relieve acute pain.

Joint Injections

Joint injections are steroids mixed with anesthetics injected directly into the inflamed joints that cause acute pain. Depending on the exact joint location and the nature of the injury, the depth of the injection may also vary. Additional soreness may be a result of joint injections since some sites can require deeper penetration than others. 

Game Ready™ Cold and Compression Therapy

Game Ready is a trademarked therapy approach that includes hot and cold compression-based wraps. Game Ready cryo compression therapy also helps support independence from medically managed pain control. Compression increases circulation while promoting faster healing. 

Electrotherapy

Other than the TENS unit, our practice also offers specialists-controlled electrical nerve stimulation. Using electrical currents to pulse closer to the pain-affected area can increase the chances for immediate pain relief. Electrical stimulation can increase muscle tissue by stimulating regrowth. 

Topical Analgesics

Topical analgesics are a combination therapy and a pain control approach to neck and back injury treatment. Topical analgesics work to numb the affected area for additional treatments such as injections or implants. Topical analgesics can also relax muscles and provide temporary relief for the pain.

Surgically Implanted Electrotherapy Devices

Devices are usually implanted in a specific place in the spinal cord to send mild electro currents to your brain. These currents work to mask the pain signal and decrease the pain sensations you may be experiencing. 

Percutaneous Discectomy

A minor surgical option, percutaneous discectomy, is the procedure of injecting a small needle into the spine until it reaches the herniated disc. Guided by a live X-ray, a small probe with a rotating tip is inserted through the needle and removes small pieces of the disc. This minuscule removal creates enough space to relieve pressure on the spine. 

Microdiscectomy

In severe cases of auto accident injuries, major surgery may be necessary. Spine surgery is performed to remove protruding portions of herniated intervertebral discs that are compressing spinal nerves. Surgery is a combination approach paired with physical therapy and medically managed acute pain control for recovery. 

Contact Our Team for Effective Pain Management 

Metro Healthcare Partners is conveniently located in Brooklyn, New York. We accept most major insurance plans as well as Medicare, Medicaid, No-Fault, PIP (Personal Injury Protection insurance), and Worker’s Compensation. Our specialists are experienced in training common auto accident trauma including, head injuries, TBI, whiplash and neck pain, spinal injuries, soft tissue injuries,  and more. For questions or to schedule an appointment or consultation, contact us today and get on the road to full recovery.