Early Intervention Prevents Long Term Pain

Immediately after an auto collision, it’s common for people to wait to get treatment. Most people think, “I’ll just wait to see how I feel next week.” This approach can be a mistake.

During a crash, the tissues of your body can be stretched or torn. You may not feel pain right away but as the tissues become swollen and inflamed, patients often wake up the next day with a sore, stiff neck or back.

Your body will then restrict movement and begin repairing the injured area by laying down scar tissue and adhesions. This tissue is less flexible and if not treated correctly will lead to restricted range of motion and premature bone spurs.

The problem with scar tissue is that each joint in your neck has a fairly limited range of motion. Scar tissue reduces that motion even more, and if you don’t receive proper treatment, that can result in permanent limited mobility, chronic pain, and even spinal degeneration of the joints. Mobilization, manipulation and chiropractic adjustments can help minimize these adhesions and slow the advancement of degenerative changes.