Accident Injury Assistance

1-800-588-4PAIN

April 30, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

The Growing Popularity of Chiropractic Treatments among Athletes

Chiropractic therapy has long been recognized for its healing properties. For over a century, Americans have used chiropractic treatments for recovering from injuries associated with accidents, joint pain and general health problems too. But lately athletes are also seeking chiropractic treatments for injuries and to help them perform better in their sport. In fact, chiropractic treatments among athletes has become so popular, a British chiropractor was recently chosen to be part of the Olympics medical team at the London games this summer.  The man will join doctors, physiotherapists and massage therapists to help keep the world’s best athletes in top shape and to treat any injury.

And in 2010, The Professional Football Chiropractic Society, announced all 32 teams in the National Football League offer their players and personnel chiropractic physician services as part of the triage in managing and preventing injuries. 2010 NFL Hall Of Fame inductee Jerry Rice is a spokesperson for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a not-for-profit group. He says he did a lot of things to stay in the game, “but regular visits to my chiropractor made all the difference.”

How Chiropractic Treatments Help

According to the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, Chiropractic care is an important component of sports injury treatment. Professional athletes within the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League and Professional Golf all rely on the unique care of chiropractors to help manage and prevent injuries. Many college and high school teams also see the value of chiropractic care for their athletes. Currently professional basketball players rely heavily upon chiropractic treatments too, especially now as March Madness is underway.

Chiropractic experts know precisely why chiropractic treatments are growing more popular among athletes. Dr. Craig Buhler served as the team chiropractor for several sports teams and has treated athletes from the NBA Hall of Fame. He says chiropractic care helps give a team and athlete a competitive advantage in whatever sport they participate in. Chiropractic treatments also:

  • help athletes to enhance endurance levels
  • help athletes to recover from many structural injuries
  • help athletes achieve overall peak performance
  • help athletes to maximize training and optimize functional balance and skill

Chiropractic care helps golfers recover from bulging disks.

Countless golfers suffer from a bulging spinal disc. In a release, Doctors of Chiropractic write while the pain associated with a bulging disc may be dull – often numbness and tingling –chiropractic experts suggest seeking treatment immediately before compensated movement patterns affect the spinal tissue and lead to more severe disc problems, which may involve more pain and longer recovery times.   DCs can prescribe and perform physiotherapy modalities, such as ultrasound, decompression traction, electrical stimulation, and low level laser therapy.

Professional footballers say chiropractic treatments made them “game ready”

Many footballers say they feel better overall from regular, ongoing chiropractic treatments. Those recovering from game injuries insist that chiropractic treatments helped them to “recover quicker” and “get back on the field.”

For more information on how we can help you recover from your own sports or auto related injury, call us at 800-588-4PAIN.   

April 24, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

How Auto Accident Chiropractic Treatment Works

 

Have you ever wondered how precisely accident chiropractic treatment works? There is much to this special and magical form of healing for auto accident injuries. An initial chiropractic exam will help our chiropractic therapists determine the extent of your injuries and our anticipated rate of treatment. This article breaks down the value of an accident chiropractor, why thousands of auto accident injury patients find massive pain relief from chiropractic treatments and why consulting a chiropractor is a smart move after any auto accident.

Whiplash Injury

Most auto accidents involve whiplash, or neck injuries. This typically occurs during sudden changes of speed with minor back injuries occurring as well. The neck is literally “whipped back” bending forward, then backwards, away from the point of impact. As you can imagine, whiplash causes soreness and stiffness in the neck, but also headaches and overall body soreness. Many patients with whiplash injury also struggle sleeping and concentrating on tasks. While others report dizziness, blurriness and even tingling up and down their legs and arms. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, roughly 20 percent of victims in rear-end collisions suffer whiplash.

In many cases chiropractic therapists will perform hands-on adjustments with the myofascial release approach. This helps treat soft tissue injuries and realigns the body. Myofasical release helps stimulate internal healing. It releases tension trapped deep within the muscles. This is an invigorating treatment. It flushes out toxins from the patient’s body along with lactic acid and allows fresh, oxygenated blood to flow.

Severe Back or Neck pain

For auto injury patients suffering from severe back or neck pain along with whiplash, chiropractic treatments with acupuncture may be found to be beneficial. How does this work? Long, thin acupuncture needles are inserted into the trigger points. This generates healing by raising endorphin levels. It’s a natural pain relief.

Massage therapy and physical therapy, combined with chiropractic adjustments also help you recover from your auto accident injury. The massage therapy helps relax your body, releasing toxins and relieving muscle soreness. Massage therapy helps break up scar tissue and adhesions (knots.) Massage strokes help collagen fibers go in the direction of the muscles. This helps you feel better, faster. Massage therapy also increases circulation to the injury. This brings fresh oxygen to the area, helping the injury ease. And any type of treatment stimulating circulation also helps ease headaches.

Physical therapy helps you recover from an auto accident when there is damage to the spinal cord, along with joint, bone and ligament injuries. Even if your injuries are severe, this form of therapy helps patients keep their muscles strong. Your chiropractic therapist will help set up a regime that is initially gentle and then becomes more intense over time. All exercises will be targeted at improving flexibility, mobility and strength.

All chiropractic therapy for auto accident injuries focuses on holistic healing, finding and then treating the source of the pain, not masking it. Our chiropractic therapists focus on finding the underlying the pain, then correcting it. For more information on how we can help you recover from your own auto related injury, call us at 800-588-4PAIN or send us a message.   

 

April 23, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

Five Most Common Types of Chiropractic Care

You’ve been hurt from an auto injury and know a chiropractic adjustment from a professional chiropractor will help.  A chiropractor is a health care professional concerned with diagnosing and treating and preventing disorders of the neuro-muscular skeletal system, along with the effects of these disorders on your overall health. But what types of chiropractic care are best? This blog helps clarify the five most common types of chiropractic care available and how this helps.

 

  1. Manual Therapy

The main type of chiropractic care available is manual therapy. This involves the manual manipulation of the spine, joints and body tissues. According to the American Chiropractic Association, a nonprofit group, manual therapy requires the chiropractic physician to use their hands or an instrument to manipulate the spine. This is to restore or enhance joint function. This kind of manual therapy helps reduce joint inflammation and pain. This is a highly controlled procedure and painless for the patient. Patients feel more positive and better immediately after treatment.

 

  1. Massage Therapy

In addition to spinal manipulation, chiropractic therapy professionals also offer massage therapy as part of the healing process. This is a great complement to the manual manipulation of the spine and helps the patient heal feel better faster and heal more quickly.  Most often, a chiropractic therapist begins the manual therapy by performing light massage.

 

  1. Spinal Decompression

According to Wikipedia, the online dictionary service, non-surgical spinal decompression involves using a mechanical traction device.  This is applied through an onboard computer controlling the force and angle of disc distraction.  This reduces the body’s own natural tendency to resist external force and or generate muscle spasm.  This practice is promoted as being safe and harmless.  Most patients feel massive relief from this therapy, combined with other chiropractic care.

 

  1. Rehabilitative Therapy

In addition to manual manipulation, spinal decompression and massage, power chiropractic therapists often use rehabilitative therapy on a patient’s.  This includes using a TENS stimulator to apply electrotherapy to the back pain, heat and ice and sometimes ultrasound.

 

  1. Acupuncture

Finally, acupuncture therapy is another form of chiropractic care we often use with our patients.  This is one of the main forms of traditional Chinese medicine and whenused in conjunction with other chiropractic care listed above, our patients find considerable pain relief.

 

Click here to reach our main home page or call us at 1-800-588-4PAIN for an appointment!

 

April 16, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

10 Ways to Rate a Chiropractic Visit

Congratulations! You decided to see an accident injury chiropractic therapist to help you recover from an auto injury. You will already be on the quick road to recovery. But now you’ve decided to see us, how do you rate whether or not the visit and forthcoming visits are a success? This blog helps you gauge how your accident chiropractor is doing and how your injuries are healing.

1. One way to rate a chiropractic visit is did you feel comfortable with the therapist? If so, this is a sign the therapist is great at what they do and skilled at reassuring you.

2. Do you feel better? You should, because chiropractic therapy unlike most other kinds of treatment, offers patients immediate relief. You won’t be cured right away, but you should feel improvement from that first chiropractic visit.

3. Did you feel clear on what the benefits of chiropractic therapy were, before your treatment? We hope so. Chiropractic therapy is viewed by many as alternative therapy and therefore trained chiropractic therapists explain to first-time patients what the therapy entails and how it works.

4. Did you feel the chiropractor listened? We always listen to our patients because information in-take of your entire health and emotional history is part of our job.

5. Was the office comfortable? If so, then rate the chiropractic visit well because the office, its appearance, the lighting and the comfort of the bed on which you received your treatment is part of the experience.

6. Was the staff friendly and kind? If so, this confirms the visit was a success too.

7. Were you given homework? Chiropractic therapy works best in conjunction with other home therapy such as heat and cold treatments to your joints and other injuries, gentle exercises and stretches along with gentle massage.

8. Was the chiropractic therapist’s website helpful? It should be! We know that many Americans still find chiropractic therapy ambiguous so a good chiropractic therapist should offer tons of online information about their treatment and practice.

9. Do you want to come back? If so, then your chiropractic visit was successful. You clearly have faith in your chiropractic therapist and from what you’ve seen so far, you believe this will help you heal from your injuries.

10. Do you want to refer this chiropractic therapist to others? If so, then undoubtedly, your visit went great!

April 10, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

Common Myths about Chiropractic Therapy

Chiropractic therapy and chiropractic services have been around for over a century and yet myths about this industry and what chiropractic care can do for joint damage and auto accident injuries prevail. Many physicians and other Americans still maintain a level of suspicion towards chiropractic therapy and yet millions of patients receiving chiropractic therapy swear by its healing properties. This article outlines some of the common myths we hear and how we debate them.

Chiropractic care is not based in Science.

This common critique about chiropractic care suggests accident injury chiropractors receive insufficient training—and yet nothing could be further from the truth. Chiropractic care requires considerable training in anatomy, physiology, neurology, various diagnosis skills, chiropractic techniques and biomechanics. Chiropractors receive years of clinical training. The chiropractic college curriculum requires 4,200 hours of classroom, laboratory and clinical experience. Moreso, applicants to chiropractic colleges have already acquired four years of pre-medical undergraduate college education. Once in chiropractic college, four to five academic years of study are typical.

Chiropractic adjustments hurt.

Because chiropractic care requires manual manipulation of the spine, there could seem to outsiders an element of pain with our treatments, but actually, that is not true. Our patients say the adjustment is painless and brings considerable relief. Sometimes there may be some soreness after an adjustment as the body becomes re-aligned, but this is minimal.

Chiropractic care is for back pain only

Not true. A chiropractor can reduce pain in any part of your body where a joint or bone comes out of alignment. According to the American Chiropractics Association, chiropractic therapy can help patients with headaches, neck aches, and back aches along with injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system involving joints, ligaments and muscles. Because our body structure impacts our overall body functions, chiropractic therapy can also help overall health. Chiropractors can counsel patients on nutrition, work posture and general well-being.

An MD referral is needed for a chiropractor

Generally this is not true, because a chiropractor is a doctor. But always check with your health insurance provider first.

Chiropractic care is not covered by insurance

Generally this is not true. Most insurance providers in the U.S. cover chiropractic therapy and services with small co-pay. The ACA also states chiropractic care is available to active-duty members of the armed forces at over 60 military bases and to veterans at 36 medical facilities.

Chiropractic adjustments create a popping sound

This is true, but nothing is breaking. The popping sound you hear from a manual spine manipulation is a gas bubble releasing from the joints. Think of it like the sound from cracking your knuckles. This is slight and causes no pain.

Chiropractic care is extensive

Chiropractic care and therapy is ongoing, especially for auto accident injury patients, but not excessively so in our view. The first session may be an hour in order for the chiropractor to provide checks such as MRIs, x-rays and take blood pressure, as well as perform a thorough information in-take, gathering your entire health history. Subsequent follow-up treatments however will be briefer and will taper off quickly as you recover.

April 2, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

Follow-Up Treatment to an Auto Accident Injury

Complete recovery from an auto accident injury takes considerable time.  Your injuries could include everything from joint damage, whiplash, severe all over body aching to broken bones.  When seeking chiropractic therapy after an auto accident injury from an accident chiropractor, here are the kinds of follow-up treatments you can expect.

The First Appointment

In our first appointment with a new patient we conduct a thorough information intake.  From that first appointment (which typically takes one hour) we learn where precisely your pain is and where your body were impacted in the auto accident. Our accident injury chiropractor also takes a complete health history, asking about past injuries and illnesses, current conditions, medications, lifestyle, diet and mental stresses etc.

Our accident injury chiropractor may also conduct an MRI, x-ray, take your blood pressure or perform other physical exams in that first appointment.  Then, our chiropractor will perform their manual manipulation.  Our patients claim to not feel any pain during a manipulation.  Some say they feel some slight tenderness after as the body becomes realigned.

Regularity of Follow-Up Treatments

Depending on the severity of your symptoms and pain we would ask for 2 to 3 subsequent sessions each week (lasting 20 minutes or so) then weekly sessions until fully recovered.  In our first appointment we set our overall goals for your recovery, based on your injuries, and discuss tentative length of treatment.  In most cases, chiropractic therapy after an auto accident injury doesn’t exceed three weeks.

Home Remedies as Part of Your Follow-Up

As part of your follow-up treatment we would also ask you to do some home remedies, some light exercises for instance, massage treatment, ice and heat treatments, some stretches and best of all — lots of rest!

March 30, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

Best Chiropractic Therapy Methods for Treating an Auto Accident Patient

Even a minor car accident can impact your health and often the true damage done to your body doesn’t present itself until weeks or even months after the event.  Whiplash occurs when the neck and head is thrust forward and then back.  This goes on to create irritation of the nerves and spinal cord, soreness in the neck, pins and needles sensations in the face, arms and legs.  Auto accidents can also create overall body soreness, aching and headaches.  And yet studies also show over half of accident victims fail to receive health treatment after an accident and therefore require a lifetime of pain medication to cope with the resulting discomfort. While going for a physical checkup with your family doctor or being checked at the emergency room are paramount after any auto accident, multiple studies also show that chiropractic therapy methods are excellent for treating victims of auto accidents.  Here are some of the best chiropractic therapy methods for auto accident patients:

  • Traditional Chiropractic Therapy

Traditional chiropractic therapy uses manual manipulation of the spine.  This restores the normal movement and position of the spine and is by far the most effective treatment for cutting down on the long term impact of whiplash injuries.  If you couple a traditional chiropractic therapy session with massage therapy, trigger point therapy along with exercise this can really cut down on a lot of the discomfort associated with whiplash injury. 

  • Rehabilitating Soft Tissue

Soft tissue refers to anything that’s not bone — so ligaments, muscles, discs and internal organs.  Soft tissues are really damaged through whiplash injury and chiropractic therapy methods usually include massage, electro stimulation, stretching along with limited motion exercises.

  • Following up with Home Care

In between your chiropractic therapy visits it’s important you follow up with home care.  Homecare remedies include ice packs, stretches, doing the specific exercises you learn from your chiropractor along with the best part: plenty of rest!

When you need assistance after an auto accident, please contact us at 1-800-588-4PAIN or send us a message online.

 

March 16, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

The Nuts and Bolts About Seeking Rehabilitation After an Auto Accident

You’re in terrible shape after an auto accident injury and you need rehabilitation to recover.  But what is the process for getting rehabilitation services, specifically chiropractic therapy and chiropractic services, whom should you consult and what documentation must you keep?

No Referral Necessary

If seeking chiropractic therapy, the good news is you don’t need an M.D. to make a referral.  After you’ve been checked out by your family doctor, if you feel considerable discomfort and know chiropractic care will help your recovery, then simply contact us for an appointment.  All 50 states in America consider chiropractors as primary care providers; therefore you don’t require a referral.

Process for Getting Treated

Once you make your appointment with our office, you’ll explain to our accident chiropractor what happened in your auto accident and where you feel discomfort and pain.  If X-rays were taken immediately after your accident we’d like to see them. Our accident chiropractors may also conduct physical exams such as MRIs, x-rays and taking your blood pressure.  Part of the paperwork you’ll need to fill out prior to the consultation will ask you to indicate on a drawing where you are hurting.

In that first appointment our accident chiropractor will do an information in-take, taking thorough notes to understand precisely your injuries and to learn your entire health history including previous injuries, current health problems, stresses, medications etc.  Then, they’ll perform their manual adjustment.  Typically rehabilitation after an auto accident takes time and the first visit will be followed by multiple follow-ups and possibly physical therapy.

Documentation

It’s important to keep records of any x-rays or tests done after your auto accident. Also, experts say after any accident it’s essential to keep all documentation of all expenses incurred in getting rehabilitation after your auto accident.  Therefore, keep all receipts of your chiropractic therapy visits, any physical therapy visits and any other investments such as medications, heat packs, cold packs etc. This information will be necessary for any insurance claims and if you have to defend yourself to your employer or in court.

When you need assistance after an auto accident, please contact us at 1-800-588-4PAIN or send us a message online.

March 9, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

How Chiropractic Therapy Helps Joint Damage

Many of us here in Texas know what joint damage feels like — it’s that stiff, achy soreness that comes from movement but also often comes from just lying down.  Auto accident injury is one cause of joint damage we see as accident injury chiropractors. But there are multiple other causes too — such as rheumatoid arthritis.  Web M.D., the online medical resource, cites that the longer and stronger the disease activity, the more joint damage is probably occurring.  Also, someone with a lot of joint swelling is more likely to have damage than a person with just a little bit.

That’s the bad news.  The good news is chiropractic therapy, which originated in the late 1800s in the U.S., can offer massive relief and ease the pain associated with joint damage along with helping the body heal itself.  Just as chiropractic therapy treats a whole host of health problems, in healing joint damage here’s how chiropractic services can help:

  • The basic theory is chiropractic adjustments help the body heal itself by correcting the subluxation of the joints, specifically the vertebrae.

 

  • By manipulating the spine the chiropractor helps realign the damaged areas so the spine can operate more effectively.

This article is really helpful to understanding whether or not you may have joint damage.

 

March 9, 2012
by debbig
0 comments

Treating Back Pain After An Auto Accident

The back is one of the more common areas for injury with auto accidents and across the U.S. acute lower back pain is the fifth highest cause for doctor visits, according to American Family Physician, a peer-reviewed journal. Treating back pain can be tough.

The main goal, after having a full physical examination through your primary care physician, is reducing the pain as soon as possible.  A lot can also be achieved through self-care. Here are some tips to see you through:

Cold and heat treatment. Doctors recommend heat therapy for back spasms.  Patients find moist heat therapy such as Whirlpool or baths offer some relief.  Heat wraps offer continual relief for up to six hours. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NINDS, suggests cold compress applications are also helpful for reducing spasms and inflammation.  You can use a bag of ice or bag of frozen vegetables.  Apply to the area several times per day for 20 minutes and rest.  Alternating from heat to cold treatments for three days after a back injury is best.  If you find no relief after three days of self-care, certainly return to your doctor for added care.

Don’t overdo the bed rest. While one to two days of bed rest helps back pain from an auto accident, NINDS warns too much rest can have the opposite effect.  Becoming mobile as soon as possible after a back injury, with moderate activity, will help gain flexibility back sooner.

Massage therapy. Massage therapy from an experienced massage therapist specializing in accident relief can offer temporary relief also.  Acupuncture can be excellent for back pain after an auto accident however, ensure you research well which acupuncture to go to.  Try getting a referral from someone within your community or check with Angie’s List.

Medications. You’re probably going to need medication, both over-the-counter (such as ibuprofen, naproxen and aspirin) and prescription drugs, to help manage your back pain but beware that using medication to treat back pain is controversial.  Also please consult with your doctor before using any medication, particularly when pregnant or suffering from other health problems.

Some say muscle relaxants offer short-term relief for acute back pain resulting from an auto accident.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are shown to be effective also but come with warnings and risks you must discuss with your doctor.

Chiropractic help. Manipulation through a chiropractor can also be beneficial, but carefully research which chiropractor to go to, preferably looking for a referral from your primary care physician, a friend or family member. Physical therapy will also help gain mobility back.  Ask your doctor for a referral to a specialist or look on Angie’s List for a good recommendation in your area.

Surgeries. When all else fails, your doctor may suggest back surgery.  The major back surgeries include: disectomies, spinal fusions, laminectomies and vertebroplasties — but experts say this must be the last resort because of the invasiveness of the procedures.

When you need assistance finding back pain, neck pain and joint pain relief after an auto accident, please contact us at 1-800-588-4PAIN or send us a message online.