Nicole tries to live a very active lifestyle and works hard to protect and preserve her overall wellness. On her way home from the gym one day, she was rear-ended at a red light by some careless driver who was distracted by his phone. She initially suffered whiplash from the car accident and some low back discomfort, but after a few weeks of much-needed rest, she is basically pain-free. It has been six months since the accident, and she feels fine. Her mother begged her to contact a chiropractor and schedule an appointment to make sure everything is fine, but she brushed it off as another one of her mother’s overreactions. Nicole considers herself extremely lucky and credits her good health and fitness to her easy recovery.
The human body is very good at adapting to change, which may be the reason for Nicole’s seemingly simple recovery. When you are involved in a car accident, your body is forced to absorb a considerable amount of force, and the severity of the impact will create different levels of problems. The impact can sometimes cause the spine to shift out of its correct alignment, however, the muscles will often compensate for the change by shortening or lengthening to provide stability to the spine. This change can lead to chronic and severe muscle pain months or years later. This is merely one example of the problems that could arise from the spine healing incorrectly, which is why it is important to have yourself treated after an accident to ensure that the spine is realigned correctly. You can schedule a consultation at RxWellness Spine & Health in Tysons Corner Va to work with some of the best chiropractic professionals in the DMV. Don’t make the same mistake as Nicole and assume everything is fine, get yourself examined and make sure it is.
What to do After a Car Accident
When you are involved in a car accident, it is important to get the problem examined by a medical professional as soon as possible. Dr. Phil Golinsky, founder and C.E.O of RxWellness Spine & Health chiropractic wellness centers, explains when your body is exposed to trauma and that trauma is, “put into the spine, your body is going to accept that force. And if your spine heals wrong, [in] 20 years you can see the effect.” The soft tissue will heal in a few weeks, but if any misalignment in the spine is not corrected by a trained chiropractor, it will lead to chronic pain years later. Dr. Phil further explains that when you work with a chiropractor after a car accident, “ we can’t get you feeling better faster, your body is going to heal. Soft tissue injuries do take a few weeks to heal on their own. So whether you see a chiropractor or not, you’re still going to be in pain, however, it’s the long term that we’re looking at. We’re thinking about long-term fixes. So if you have a problem now before the spine heals improperly, get them to heal right. “The best way to heal the spine correctly is to contact RxWellness Spine & Health in Tysons Corner and begin treatment.
Diagnostic Process at RxWellness
When you schedule an appointment with RxWellness Spine & Health Tysons after being involved in a car accident, we will complete all necessary diagnostic tests so we can safely begin treatment. Dr. Phil clearly states that we are “ going to do a history and examination and consultation,” he further explains that, “we want to know a little bit about who you are, what kind of accidents or traumas you’ve had before we’ve even seen you. Then we’re going to do a palpation, we’re going to do a spinal history examination. We’re also going to take x-rays.” When you work with our team, we are going to be extremely thorough and will use the x-rays to “see the structure of your spine,” we will also “do some orthopedic tests [to] rule out any red flags, [so if] you have an issue that shouldn’t be under the care of chiropractic we…[can]know before…any treatment has been rendered.” We have the best chiropractic professionals and the most advanced diagnostic equipment to help us clearly identify and treat the cause of your discomfort.
RxWellness Spine & Health
After we have a clear diagnosis, and “assuming, all is good, then we’re going to [provide] some treatments,” Dr. Phil explains. He also says the treatments are going to be “very very light…and we’re going to have a less is more approach. It’s going to be very gentle, you might hear a few little pops, a few little releases, but the goal is to get the person feeling better by at least 20 percent.” Dr. Phil then elaborates and states that “if we can get the person feeling better by 20 percent, we know those types of people are going to be what I call fixable. If the person doesn’t respond by at least 5 percent, we’re going to send them out to the appropriate professional because at that point we just know, long term, that they’re probably not going to get the benefits that they would like to receive.” When you work with the RxWellness Tysons chiropractic team, your wellness is always our number one priority.
Stages of Recovery After A Car Accident
There are three very distinct stages of recovery, and it is important to follow your chiropractor’s recommendation to move through each stage safely and appropriately. The three stages are relief care, corrective care, and wellness care. The best way to progress through each stage is by following your doctor’s recommendation and sticking to your care plan until its predetermined end date. This is especially important if you are involved in a car accident because car accident-related problems can be more long-term than immediate.
Stage One, Relief Care: You arrive at the chiropractor’s office in a lot of pain from a recent injury or flare-up from an old one. The goal during this stage is to reduce discomfort. You are in a lot of pain, and we will focus on relieving it. This stage could require anything from two visits a week to daily visits, and will depend on the severity of your condition and the intensity of your pain.
Stage Two, Corrective Care: At this point, you are no longer in any pain and the doctor may significantly reduce your number of weekly visits. Your pain symptoms have significantly decreased, and the root of the problem is in the process of being healed. This stage can be short or it can be definite, depending on your condition. Unfortunately, this is also the stage where a majority of patients fall off with their treatment. Since they are no longer in any pain, they assume their treatment is complete; however, since their condition is not completely healed the symptoms often return. They then become frustrated with their care and convince themselves that there is no hope for lasting relief. The best way to exit this stage is to not randomly stop treatment, but let the doctor clear you to finish.
Stage Three, Wellness Care: This stage is everlasting and an example of good wellness practice. When you reach wellness care, you are no longer in any significant pain and your condition is fully healed. The doctor has okayed an end to your care plan and you are free to safely stop treatment. However, in this stage, it is highly recommended that you continue chiropractic care at least once a month as a way to maintain good health and to realign the body from all the stressors it will encounter during the day.
Contact Us
The most important thing you can remember is that pain is not a good indication of injury, and soft tissue will heal by itself in its own time. So if you were involved in a car accident, and you feel fine six weeks later, it doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Your body is very good at adapting to change and providing temporary fixes, but if the spine is thrown out of alignment, this misalignment will contribute to chronic pain years down the line. When you work with the RxWellness Spine & Health Tysons team, we will ensure that the spine heals correctly, and attempt to prevent any long-term issues. If you have any questions or would like to book a consultation, give us a call at (571) 348-1540or book an appointment online. We are located at 8609 Westwood Center Dr, Suite 620, Vienna, VA 22182.