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How Can Chiropractic Care Help With Sleep After An Accident?

No matter if you consider yourself a night owl or an early bird, good sleep is essential for the body’s overall health and function. Car accidents can impact our ability to rest, making restorative sleep even harder to achieve as the body recuperates from injuries. Impact Medical Group of Clearwater shares how chiropractic care can help you sleep deeper after an accident.

Injuries like whiplash that occur in the neck and shoulder areas can cause excruciating pain. Depending on the severity of the injury, the speed of recovery to the nerves and tissues can vary for each patient. Sleeping in obscure positions to accommodate the injury can exacerbate the pain, adding insult to injury. Literally. However, sleep is essential for repair. During this mode, cells produce a protein that is needed to heal injuries quickly. At Impact Medical of Clearwater, we know that adequate sleep can allow the body to heal but, it’s also important to pair this with careful movement so as not to slow down the recovery process. Our team of chiropractors performs a full evaluation of each patient to explore pain and trigger points. Then, a customized treatment plan is created for the patient. Chiropractic care plans may include spinal adjustments, physical therapy, manual, and muscle stimulation.

It’s important to not only bandage the symptoms but also get to the root cause of the injury issues. Experiencing an accident can be traumatic. This can also lead to increased stress in the body which can compromise the immune system. Because of this domino effect, chiropractors seek to heal patients through several avenues of care. Providing stretching exercises to reduce tension can ease stress and improve the range of motion. This technique can also reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. When this hormone remains high for an extended amount of time, it can interfere with the body’s circadian rhythm. Adding spinal adjustments can alleviate stress on impacted nerves while boosting the immune system. This style of treatment also allows increased blood flow as it corrects misalignments or subluxations in the spinal area. When these areas compress, they cause a communication disruption between the spine and the brain. The body then releases a stress response that can disturb usual sleep habits. Chiropractors may also include manual as a treatment for sleep loss because of its ability to relax the muscles. 

So whether you are suffering from accident injuries, don’t rest well, or may be experiencing insomnia, chiropractic care may be your wish upon a star. Creating a consistent chiropractic treatment plan can help you find relief with longer, better, and deeper nights of sleep. Call Impact Medical Group of Clearwater at (727) 292-0200 to learn more about our holistic approach to care.

3 Risks of Not Receiving Whiplash Treatment

Experiencing neck and shoulder pain after an accident, whether a car crash or a fall? Whiplash is one of the most common reasons patients visit a chiropractor. If you’re living with symptoms of whiplash, you may think it’s best to wait it out and hope that your pain will go away. This is a terrible idea since whiplash can be dangerous if left untreated. If you’re feeling neck or back pain and suspect you may have whiplash, here’s why you should seek treatment immediately.

What Is Whiplash?

Whiplash is caused by trauma to the neck, and it occurs when a person’s neck is quickly jerked back and forth, usually due to external force. It can cause mild to severe pain centered around the neck and shoulders, either right away or over time.

While whiplash often resolves itself in a matter of days or weeks, severe cases can cause months or years of pain and discomfort. Rather than risking your long-term health and well-being, it’s important to seek treatment for whiplash right away before the condition becomes chronic.

What Happens If You Don’t Get Whiplash Treatment?

Many people think whiplash symptoms will go away on their own. While, in some cases, the pain may fade over time, in others, the risks can cause prolonged pain and chronic issues. Here are some of the risks of not receiving whiplash treatment:

1. Neurological Problems. Chronic pain is just the start of severe whiplash—if you don’t get treatment, you could risk developing neurological problems like headaches, tinnitus, or vertigo. Any of these conditions can not only keep you out of work but can also keep you from enjoying life in general.

2. Decreased Range of Motion. Whiplash injuries can make it difficult or painful for you to move your body like you once did. If you have a decreased range of motion, it can be harder for you to perform the normal activities of daily life, like reaching for things up high or turning your head to the side to cross the street or check traffic when driving.

3. Musculoskeletal Problems. Vertebrae misalignment and even degenerative disc disease are associated with untreated whiplash. If the neck moves out of proper spinal alignment, it can not only damage your uppermost vertebrae, but it can even cause discs between the vertebrae or spinal column to break down. These severe conditions can cause long-term pain, weakness, numbness, and even loss of mobility.

Seek Treatment for Whiplash Immediately

Treating whiplash effectively involves much more than managing the pain with medication. In many cases, visits to a chiropractor or physical therapy are essential in your recovery from this painful and risky condition. If you’re experiencing symptoms of whiplash, the team at Impact Medical Group of Sarasota is here to help. We’ll create a customized treatment plan that addresses your pain and discomfort, so you can start your journey to a full recovery. Call us today at (941) 222-1157 to schedule your free consultation!

How To Tell If You Have Soft Tissue Damage After a Car Accident

Soft tissue injuries are any injuries to the body’s soft tissues or connective tissues. The most common symptoms of a soft tissue injury caused by an accident include soreness, swelling, discoloration, and a limited range of motion that manifests within 24 to 48 hours after the crash.

Do not dismiss any aches and pains that you may have after an accident, even if you think they are minor. The pain caused by soft tissue injuries can significantly impact your daily life, so make sure to visit a medical professional as soon as possible for treatment!

Our accident care team at Impact Medical Sun City Center explores some ways to tell if you have soft tissue damage after an accident.

What Are Soft Tissue Injuries?

Soft tissue injuries refer to damage to the soft tissues of the body like the muscles or connective tissue like tendons and ligaments.

Both soft and connective tissue is made up of individual fibers, and when injured, these fibers stretch, tear, and become inflamed.

Soft tissue injuries occur when the body suffers trauma, such as blunt force sustained during a car accident. This kind of damage is common in car accidents, specifically because the force of the impact is often placed on the occupants inside the vehicle.

The exerted forces can violently jostle accident victims across the vehicle, even in minor accidents. This force can stretch the tissue beyond its normal range of motion, causing partial or complete tears in the tissue fibers. It can also damage blood cells within the tissue, causing contusions or bruising.

The Symptoms of Soft Tissue Injuries

The main symptom of any soft tissue injury will be pain around the injured part of the body. The pain might start mild and worsen over the first 48 hours following the injury.

Other symptoms include:

• A knot or lump on or around the injury site
• Inability to put weight on the area
• Instability at the affected joint
• Muscle cramping or spasms
• Muscle weakness
• Swelling or bruising

The Most Common Soft Tissue Injuries Sustained in Car Accidents

The soft tissues of the body are much more vulnerable to damage than harder structures in the body, like your bones. This can explain why soft tissue injuries are among the most common car accident injuries.

The most common soft tissue injuries include:

Sprains

Soft tissue sprains affect a type of connective tissue called ligaments. Ligaments connect bones to joints and give your joints stability by controlling their movement. Sprains occur when a ligament suffers sudden trauma and forces the tissue out of its normal range of motion.

Wrist sprains are a common cause of wrist pain after an accident, as many people grab the steering wheel to brace for impact.

Sprains are classified as either partial or complete tears. A partial tear can heal on its own within two to three weeks, but a complete tear may require surgery.

Common symptoms of a sprain include:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
• Limited range of motion

Strains

Soft tissue strains refer to any injury to the muscles and tendons. Like a sprain, soft tissue sprains occur when the tissue is pushed beyond its normal range of motion, resulting in a partial or complete tear.

Knee strains, also called “dashboard knee” is a common cause of knee pain after rear-ending accidents.

A tell-tale sign of a strain is muscle spasms, which happen when the soft tissue involuntarily expands and contracts to enhance blood flow.

Whiplash

Whiplash is the most common type of neck injury from car accidents. It occurs when the head rushes forward and then immediately snaps back, tearing several soft tissue fibers in the process.

Whiplash is also referred to as a cervical strain, but the back-and-forth motion can also damage ligaments and even neck joints.

Symptoms of whiplash include:

• Sharp neck pain
• Neck stiffness
• Shoulder pain
• Headaches

Depending on the severity of the injury, whiplash can cause a limited range of motion in the shoulders and neck. These injuries often require a neck brace for several weeks to help stabilize the soft tissues.

It is also important to note that whiplash injuries often cause delayed pain after an accident. Delayed pain symptoms typically begin 24 to 48 hours after the accident but can take over a week to fully develop.

Contusions or Bruises

Contusions, most commonly called bruises, are a collection of broken blood vessels under the skin’s surface. These injuries are caused by blunt trauma, such as slamming against the steering wheel, dashboard, or side window.

The most obvious sign of a contusion is skin discoloration (blue, purple, or green) and tenderness to the touch. Contusions are also common symptoms of sprains.

After Accident Care in Sun City Center

If you are experiencing any of the above injuries or symptoms after a car accident, come visit our compassionate team at Impact Medical Sun City Center. From primary care and chiropractic to physical therapy and pain management, our team is ready to help you heal.

Don’t wait. Call us to schedule an appointment today at (813) 938-5195!

Physical Therapy Vs. Chiropractic Care – Which One Works Faster?

If you’ve been injured or have problems with mobility, a visit to a healthcare professional like a physical therapist or a chiropractor can make a big difference. Physical therapy and chiropractic care can decrease pain and improve mobility, and there are some key similarities and differences between the two types of care. But does one work faster—or better—than the other? Read on to get to know the differences between physical therapy and chiropractic care, so you can decide which option is best for your situation.

Physical Therapy Vs. Chiropractic Care

There’s significant overlap between physical therapy and chiropractic care. While practitioners of both professions have a deep understanding of the musculoskeletal system and treat problems like pain and limited mobility, there are subtle differences between the two. Here’s a breakdown of what physical therapists and a chiropractors do:

• Physical Therapist. Physical therapists treat injuries and disorders by improving mobilization and bodily functions without medicine or surgery. These movement experts often employ hands-on techniques like manual and prescribe stretching and exercises to restore movement in muscles after trauma like an accident.

• A chiropractor does much more than simply crack bones. Through chiropractic manipulations, they treat common issues like back and neck pain, sciatica, tension headaches, and more. They often use their hands to find and adjust the spine and any joints that could be restricting movement. By making tiny adjustments, chiropractors can heal your pain and improve your mobility.

Does Physical Therapy or Chiropractic Care Work Faster?

When it comes to treating pain and improving mobility, neither physical therapy or chiropractic care work faster or better than the other, it all depends on the nature of your problem. While some patients find relief from chiropractic care, others may benefit more from physical therapy.

For example, if you’re dealing with a simple problem like a stiff back and medication and exercises don’t help, it’s often best to seek chiropractic care. There’s a high chance your spinal cord needs a simple adjustment to get realigned, and you could experience relief as soon as you leave the chiropractor’s office.

If your back hurts due to a previous injury, like a car accident or sports injury, it may be better to seek care from a physical therapist. Your physical therapist can prescribe movement exercises and a treatment plan to improve your symptoms over time.

Is Physical Therapy or Chiropractic Care Right for You?

Physical therapy and chiropractic care can provide short and long-term relief from pain and problems with mobility, but the type of care that’s best for you depends entirely on your situation. Whether you’re dealing with a stiff back or neck, or you’re recovering from trauma like a serious injury, the team at Impact Medical Group of Lutz is ready to help. We’ll determine the best course of action to treat your symptoms, so you can get back to doing the things you love in life. Call us today at (813) 536-0373 to schedule your free consultation!