Treatment for Auto Injuries
MVA’s are a very common way for people to acquire subluxations and muscle imbalance due to the impact. In addition to the structural changes that occur following an accident, there is a significant amount of damage that can occur at the “soft tissue” level. The whiplash injury to the neck, or cervical sprain/strain, is by far the most common injury that results from a car accident. Sprains and strains are referred to as soft tissue injuries (soft tissue includes muscles, tendons, and ligaments).
Soft Tissues Injuries from Car Crashes
Soft tissue injuries, invisible on x-rays and often overlooked, can cause severe debilitating pain after a car accident. Worse yet, if a soft tissue injury is not specifically addressed, and left unresolved, the affected muscles and other soft tissues can end up causing chronic pain indefinitely in addition to a diminished range of motion.
Unfortunately, the standard medical approach to these injuries often amounts to nothing more than suppressing the symptoms with pain-killers and non Steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), leaving the injured muscles to hopefully heal on their own. This method of care may give temporary relief, but it does not resolve the underlying problem in the long term. Unfortunately, pain is the last symptom to show up from a problem, and the first thing to go away once proper care is acquired.
Healing from a Car Accident
Injured muscles heal with scar tissue in a way that leaves them weaker, less elastic, and prone to re-injury and pain. The scar tissue is placed in specific areas to allow you to heal, but it is an unorganized process. It is important to include some form of muscular therapy to help restore muscular strength, flexibility, and normal function by correcting or “aligning” the scar tissue and reorganizing it properly.
