Whiplash is one of the most common injuries sustained in car accidents, and unfortunately some cases can be serious. Despite being a common car accident injury, many people do not seek treatment for it. This is typical of someone who doesn’t realize until a few days after they’ve been injured when their neck or back pain worsens. Even waiting a few days could complicate the whiplash injury even further.
It is important to understand the type of injury you have, as well as understand how you can pay for this type of car accident treatment. The following steps discuss what you should do for whiplash after a car accident. The steps cover the whiplash injury, whiplash treatment, and medical coverage.
How Whiplash Injuries Happen
Whiplash can happen in any type of car accident, not just rear-ended accidents which is a common misconception. Rear-ended car accidents are the most common type of car accident and result in the same type of whiplash injury. However, head on collisions, and t-bone accidents also can cause whiplash.
Whiplash happens when an immense amount of force causes the structures within the neck to shift from its natural curve of the upper back and neck. The neck hyper extends which can cause the joints of the neck to be injured due to muscles and ligaments over stretching. The neck is more vulnerable to whiplash because of its ability to move in many directions. Women are twice as likely to experience whiplash than men. Women are more likely to experience whiplash injury because of their anatomy. Women’s bodies are more flexible and have less muscle to keep their neck from hyper extending.
Symptoms of Whiplash
Whiplash injuries can be found in other areas of the spine as well. Symptoms of Whiplash after a car accident may present themselves in one or more of the following:
- Upper back pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Lower back pain
- Neck Pain
- Headaches or Migraines (may also be symptom of concussion)
- Burning or tingling sensations
- Muscle spasms
Whiplash symptoms may happen right away after the accident or they can take up to a week after to present themselves. Regardless of whether or not you feel injured or pain after an auto accident, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Whiplash Treatment After A Car Accident
Even if you understand that you’re injured, you may not know who to go see for whiplash treatment. Always go to the emergency room or urgent care for injuries like lacerations, broken bones, or life threatening injuries.
However, the emergency room is not the place to treat whiplash. At best, they may prescribe you pain killers or muscle relaxers. This does not fix your whiplash injury. Instead, seek out a chiropractor.
Chiropractors are licensed doctors of chiropractic, and are trained specialists in adjusting the spine. They are the most equipped doctors to treat whiplash. Our doctors at RxWellness Spine & Health are also known as auto accident doctors.
In our auto accident clinic, RxWellness, our doctors will take xrays of your spine to see where the misalignments are to pinpoint the areas of treatment. Treatment will vary slightly from patient to patient. But whiplash treatment generally consists of spinal adjustments, massage therapy, and in some cases physical therapy.
Recovery time is different for every patient, however it will take more than a few visits to recover from whiplash. Three months with consistent treatment is standard, but for some severe cases it could take up to six months.
Chiropractic Care for whiplash treatment is highly recommended to avoid chronic or long term symptoms after a car accident. The human body will heal without chiropractic, however it will not heal correctly if your spine is out of alignment. The spinal ligaments will push on the muscles and nerves in unnatural ways causing chronic pain and may lead to surgeries that could have been prevented with chiropractic treatment early on.
How To Pay For Whiplash Treatment After A Car Accident
Liable Party (Third Party) Accepts Responsibility
If you were not at fault in the car accident, the liable party car insurance will cover the cost of the accident and your medical bills. When you arrive at your consultation with the chiropractor, make sure to have your claim number and the liable party insurance information.
Some of the most common car insurance companies we see are listed below:
- Geico
- StateFarm
- Farmers Insurance
- Nationwide
- Progressive
- USAA
- Travelers Insurance
Med-Pay Coverage (PIP)
If you were at fault or were the victim of a hit and run you may have med-pay coverage with your own car insurance. The amount of medical coverage your car insurance provides depends on the type of plan you pay for. We recommend that if you are not participating in the plan with the highest medical coverage to sign up for it. Paying a few extra dollars a month on your car insurance is worth making sure your medical bills get covered in the worst case scenario.
Health Insurance
Of course, you can also pay with health insurance if you have it. Just check with your chiropractor about your chiropractic benefits.
At RxWellness Spine & Health we accept the following health insurance:
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Aetna
- Loomis
- Compass Rose
- United Health Care
- UMR
We also gladly accept assignment on the patient’s behalf.
Get referred to an Attorney
Some car accident cases can be complicated. If the person at fault does not accept liability, ask your chiropractor to refer you to an attorney they trust. Attorneys will fight on your behalf to make sure you get all your medical and auto accident bills covered. Here at RxWellness Spine & Health, we only work with attorneys we trust and have proven to us that they have the patient’s best interest at heart.
Treatment With RxWellness Spine & Health
RxWellness Spine & Health is the top rated auto accident clinic in Northern Virginia. We also received the 2019 award for Best Auto Accident Doctor in Herndon, VA. We utilize several services at our clinic to make sure our patients’ experience the best treatment. We use a combination of chiropractic care, massage therapy, and physical therapy. If you have been in a car accident recently, call our office today at 703-904-9666 and schedule your consultation today. You can also request an appointment online. Let us join you on your journey of recovery with drug-free, pain-free, and natural solutions.
See Also
Auto Accident Injury & Whiplash Treatment – Physical Therapy Treatment
What are the long-term effects of untreated whiplash?
Most Common Car Accident Injuries Treated By Chiropractic
10 Reasons to See a Car Accident Chiropractor for Pain Relief