Your 7 Step Guide to Recovering From a North Carolina Car Crash

No one wants to be alone in their process of recuperating and healing from something so traumatic as a car wreck. That’s why we’ve put together this ‘quick-start’ guide to follow after you’ve been in a car wreck. As a chiropractic practice that specializes in getting people ‘back on the horse’ again (or back in the car, as the case may be, we see a lot of car wreck injuries. We’ve fine tuned what we know and want to make it as painless as possible for you if you’re recovering from a North Carolina car crash.

Don’t speed in the first place. Did you know that one-third of North Carolina fatalities in car accidents are caused by speeding drivers? By following the speed limits, you’re not only staying legal, but also significantly decreasing your chances of a bad – and possibly fatal – wreck.

So you’ve been in a wreck. First things first: before assessing the damage of the auto, assess any damage that you’ve incurred. Were you wearing a seatbelt? If so, great! It may have saved your life. But what you probably don’t know is that seatbelts create even more torque in a crash, which can potentially cause great damage to your spine, even though it may not be apparent until long after the fact.

• Try to rest and move as little as possible. Until you can get to your primary care provider or your chiropractor, depending on whether or not you have obvious external abrasions or outer injuries of any kind, take it easy. Ice is your friend, and later on, heat can be incredibly helpful in relieving the initial pain and trauma.
• Let someone else take care of the paperwork. A trusted friend or family member can help you worth through the insurance claims and file any reports that are necessary. With the nasty after-shock of a car crash and the physical force you’ve been through, you don’t need anything else to deal with.
• Realize that waiting is the enemy. In a study conducted by State Farm insurers, it was discovered that even 10 years after a car accident, approximately 70{115649cd14c12cd94f0d147e1e5923e5cfd090a3a81f6b6da2d6b334a1994be8} of the accident victims were experiencing neck pain, radiating back pain, and headaches or migraines as a result of the crash. The effects of whiplash can set in just as long after an accident, or take even longer.
• Understand that there’s more to injury that what meets the eye. The jerkiness and shock of a car crash has an impact on your body that leads to lasting pain for so many, but so often the only symptoms that get treated after a wreck are the obvious ones: stitches, bleeding, bruising, and burns. The delicate soft tissues and the musculoskeletal system that creates the frame of our bodies usually takes the brunt of the impact, but it can’t be assessed with the naked eye or immediate symptoms of pain
• Make an appointment with a trusted chiropractor like Dr. David Nygaard, who specializes in helping people recover from auto accidents, no matter what the damage. If he can’t help you, he’ll tell you so upfront and refer you to someone who can.
• No matter what, you are not alone in your pain and suffering after a car accident. The primary injuries that you may be dealing with are likely to be muscular or in the ligiments, or in the spine and nervous system. Chiropractors specialize in these body systems and are often the most effective in diagnosing and working to correct an injury. This could save you years of pain, thousands of dollars, and your health.