Car Accidents and Neck Pain - Part 2.
What Should Be Done After an Accident?
The period after an accident can be very unclear. There is often some degree of shock, disorientation and confusion, the degree depending on the situation. There is a lot to think about, and these don't necessarily come together in a logical order. The vehicle might or might not be able to be driven. Traffic might be having to go around the accident so there is concern about another accident happening. People are asking for information, description of what happened and asking about injuries. Often, if the injuries are not grossly visible as in cuts or broken bones, they are not assessed, particularly by those involved in the accident, as thoroughly as might be needed. Also, because many symptoms don't show-up for between 12 and 72 hours, the initial assessment by the person is not truly reflective of what injuries have been incurred.
One of the decisions that needs to be made fairly quickly is whether or not the person needs to go to an emergency room by ambulance, go under their own steam or even go at all. The emergency medical responders will help determine if there are indications of a potentially serious condition that needs evaluation at the ER, particularly if that needs to by ambulance. In less obvious situations they would recommend going to the ER for an evaluation, giving the option of going by ambulance or otherwise. Some people are advised to go to the ER later if symptoms show up, or to see their PCP for a check-up. With minor accidents most often, the ER and ambulance options are not necessary at the time of the accident.
As was mentioned in Part 1 of this series, the initial response from many people in the minor category accidents, is that they are okay. Between the disorientation, lack of screaming symptoms and dealing with everything else going on, they are not ready to accurately assess what the situation really is in their bodies. It is often many hours later, when they stop dealing with everything and the adrenaline has settled back down to normal levels that they are able to start assessing what the impact caused in their body.
While the ER and even the PCP's office might be appropriate places to go following an accident, one aspect of the follow-up that is too often ignored is the need for a chiropractic assessment. No-one else is focusedly trained and experienced to assess the biomechanics of the functional musculoskeletal system as the chiropractor. The chiropractor's training includes extensive education on the skeletal anatomy, the ligaments and muscles that connect and control the bone placement and movement, and the nerve system that extends from the brain through the spinal cord to every muscle, blood vessel and organ in every part of the body, as well as the general physiology of how everything works.
Many injuries incurred in an automobile accident are too subtle to show-up on x-ray or even MRI or CT scan, but they still cause significant pain and dysfunction. These are the areas where the chiropractic expertise can benefit the injured person to truly recover from the lingering problems after an accident.
