As people become increasingly distracted while driving, fender benders seem to become more and more common. Whether you’re in a minor or major accident, they can result in a variety of painful auto injuries. If you’re in a minor accident, you may consider taking a few days off to recover from these accidents. 

However, choosing to forego medical attention can lead to worsening symptoms, even when you think you’re fine. One service you should consider scheduling after getting into an accident is an appointment with your chiropractor. Expert chiropractors are trained to address a variety of auto injuries, ensuring you can comfortably return to everyday activities. 

If you want to learn more about the benefits of scheduling an appointment with your chiropractor and what auto injuries they can treat, keep reading. 

The Importance of Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident

Many patients turn to their chiropractor for support if they’re hurt performing everyday activities, while working out, or during pregnancy. However, chiropractic care is especially important for individuals who have recently been in a car accident. Many auto injuries start minor and may be difficult to spot until they result in a major loss of mobility and flexibility. 

When you visit a chiropractor following an auto accident, you allow them to catch the smallest injuries before they lead to major discomfort. It isn’t uncommon for people in accidents to develop symptoms weeks after the accident. By going to the chiropractor, even before the symptoms present themselves, you can prevent discomfort from occurring. 

Even if you think you’re feeling fine after your accident, working with a chiropractic professional is always beneficial to your health. With their support, you can heal the smallest injuries and potentially catch other problems you may have otherwise overlooked. Don’t set aside this essential care. It can make a major difference in your everyday life. 

Auto Injuries Your Chiropractor Treats

1. Whiplash

One of the most common auto injuries chiropractors can help patients address is whiplash. This injury occurs when your neck experiences substantial force or pressure, like during a collision. You may experience neck stiffness, dizziness, headaches, and memory problems with whiplash. When you schedule care with a chiropractor, they can perform adjustments to realign your spine and relieve any lingering discomfort and inflammation without the use of pain medications. 

2. Concussion

With the strong force of a car accident and sudden impact on your head, it isn’t uncommon for people to develop a concussion. This may leave you with chronic headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and vomiting if left untreated. When you visit a chiropractor for your concussion, they will ensure spinal alignment, which is incredibly beneficial for your vestibular system. They will also help you improve neck mobility if you’re experiencing stiffness. 

3. Back and Shoulder Pain

While this might not come as a surprise, visiting a chiropractor for back and shoulder pain after a car accident is a great way to relieve symptoms. They can perform adjustments to ensure your spine is moving correctly while protecting its natural curve. Additionally, they may offer lifestyle modifications and strengthening exercises to perform in the office and at home to help support your back as you move through your recovery. 

4. Herniated Discs

The sudden force of a car accident may cause your spinal discs to push through cracks in the outer layer of your spine, leading to significant nerve pain. To help patients address this injury, chiropractors may offer a variety of treatments, including spinal decompression and soft tissue therapy. These treatments aim to alleviate the pressure on surrounding nerves, helping you reduce discomfort and restore lost mobility and flexibility. 

5. Headaches

If you’ve developed headaches after a car accident, your chiropractor can help you not only reduce their frequency but also identify the root cause. In some cases, headaches may indicate an additional, unknown injury. Their spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapies help alleviate tension in the muscles of your neck and shoulders, which may be the cause of these headaches. With their support, you can avoid using pain medications to treat your discomfort. 

How Soon After an Accident Should You Schedule Your Appointment? 

If you’re experiencing auto injuries, you should reach out to a medical professional as soon as possible for a physical examination. After you’ve seen your primary care provider or an emergency room doctor, you should reach out to your trusted chiropractic team to schedule an exam, X-rays, or adjustment. 

The sooner you reach out to a trusted professional after developing auto injuries, the less likely you are to develop further complications. While you might feel fine following your accident, it is still best to reach out to a professional for a physical exam. They may be able to identify potential problems before they linger and become much worse. 

Expert Care for Your Auto Injuries in Tooele County

When you’ve been in an accident, it is essential that you reach out to trusted chiropractic professionals for support. The longer you put off treatment, the worse symptoms can become. In some cases, postponing proper treatment can lead to the development of chronic pain and physical disabilities. If you’re looking for a reliable chiropractic team in the Tooele County area to help you treat auto injuries, turn to Muscle & Joint Chiropractic for support. With years of experience helping patients restore range of motion and alleviate pain, we’re confident we can do the same for you. 

If you’d like to learn more about our chiropractic treatments and how we can help you recover from your auto injuries, don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

Back pain is a common issue that affects people of all ages. While injuries and medical conditions are often to blame, every day habits can also contribute to discomfort and chronic pain. Recognizing these habits that can hurt your back is the first step toward protecting your spine and maintaining a healthy back. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss some of the most common everyday habits that may be contributing to your chronic discomfort. 

Habits That Can Hurt Your Back

It doesn’t take much to hurt your back. Sometimes, injuries result from something as simple as everyday activities. There are a few everyday habits that leave you more prone to back injuries, including: 

1. Standing Up Too Straight

While it is essential that you stand up straight to avoid back injuries, being overly straight can also hurt your back. The natural curve in your spine is crucial in absorbing shock and distributing weight. If you stand too straight, you put yourself at an increased risk of injury while performing everyday tasks. While you may be tempted to stand overly straight, keep your shoulders pulled back with your ears over them to distribute your weight appropriately and protect you from back injuries. 

2. Wearing Improper Footwear 

The footwear you choose is important for traversing inclement weather conditions and looking your most appropriate at work. However, wearing the wrong footwear can hurt your back. Some shoes, like shoes with thin soles or a heel, can make it difficult to distribute your body weight properly. Improper weight distribution can lead to strain and sprains. If you want to protect your back from recurring injuries, it is best to wear appropriate shoes, like cushioned sneakers with arch support, if you are standing or walking for long periods. 

3. Hunching Over a Desk

When you work a desk job, you may find yourself leaning over your desk as the day stretches on or as you become lethargic. While minor leaning isn’t going to lead to major back injuries, prolonged or frequent leaning can cause you to hurt your back. If you want to avoid these injuries, it is best to invest in an ergonomic desk set-up to maintain your best posture. Find a chair that provides adequate back support, and use wrist rests and monitor stands to keep everything at eye level and safe for your back. 

4. Crossing Your Legs While Sitting

Crossing your legs while sitting may seem harmless, but it can cause pelvic misalignment and uneven weight distribution. Over time, this causes poor posture and strains the lower back, hips, and spine. It also affects circulation, increasing nerve pressure and contributing to discomfort or numbness. Prolonged leg crossing can cause muscular imbalances, especially around the hips and lower back, resulting in chronic pain. If you don’t want to hurt your back, sit with both feet flat on the floor, maintaining proper spinal alignment.

5. Not Sleeping Enough

Sleep is an essential part of boosting your overall well-being. Poor sleep reduces your body’s ability to repair muscles and tissues, leading to increased inflammation and muscle tension. This can cause stiffness and discomfort in your back. Additionally, inadequate rest affects posture and spinal alignment, as fatigue may lead to slouching or poor support while sitting or standing. Over time, chronic sleep deprivation can worsen existing back pain and contribute to long-term musculoskeletal issues. If you want to get plenty of sleep, make sure you’re in bed early and using an adequate pillow to provide essential support.

6. Driving Long Commutes

Much like sitting for prolonged periods of time isn’t good for your back, sitting in your car can also hurt your back. While it is difficult to control your commute, it is important that you try to avoid sitting in your car for extended periods if at all possible. If you do have a long commute, it is essential that you take time to stretch whenever possible. If you’re stopped at a red light or stuck in traffic, stretch your shoulders and neck to protect yourself against avoidable back injuries. 

7. Smoking 

When you think about smoking, you probably don’t think about how it can hurt your back. But, this action reduces blood flow to your spine, depriving spinal discs of oxygen and essential nutrients. This puts you at an increased risk of developing herniated discs and chronic back pain. Additionally, smoking slows your ability to heal, making it harder to recover from injuries. If you want to avoid this back pain and injury, it is best to give up this habit by transitioning to nicotine patches and utilizing helplines. 

Address Back Pain at Muscle & Joint Chiropractic

No matter how you hurt your back, dealing with chronic back pain can be difficult. It may lead to increased stiffness and decreased mobility, which inhibits your ability to perform everyday tasks. But this back pain doesn’t have to last forever. With the support of an expert chiropractic team, you can strengthen your back muscles and eliminate chronic pain for good.

If you’re looking for a trustworthy team of chiropractors in Grantsville or Tooele, turn to our Muscle & Joint Chiropractic team for support. For years, we’ve provided comprehensive chiropractic care to patients across the Wasatch Front. Whether you’re experiencing minor aches or major pain, we’re here to help every step of the way. 

If you’d like to learn more about how we can help after you hurt your back, don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

Recovering from a car accident can be a long and difficult process as you heal from the physical and emotional effects. The sudden impact can jolt your body, leaving you with lingering injuries that may not surface immediately. While traditional medicine addresses car accident injuries, like fractures, cuts, and internal trauma, well, it isn’t your only option

Chiropractic care offers a holistic approach to healing, focusing on your musculoskeletal system to restore function and improve your overall well-being. If you’ve recently been in a car accident and want to learn more about how a chiropractor can help you recover from deeper, more complex injuries, keep reading. 

1. Reducing Inflammation

It isn’t uncommon for people to experience inflammation after a car accident. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to an injury. While frustrating, it is part of the healing process, helping isolate damaged areas and signal the immune system to respond. However, excessive inflammation can cause pain, stiffness, and slowing the healing process. 

Chiropractors use spinal adjustments to realign the spine, which reduces the production of cytokines, a protein that regulates immune response. These adjustments also improve nerve function, promote circulation, and decrease inflammation, allowing you to heal more effectively. If you’ve been dealing with inflammation, it is essential that you contact your chiropractor as soon as possible. 

2. Medication-Free Pain Relief

Some people are uncomfortable taking pain medication, even after an injury as a result of a car accident. While medications can offer temporary relief from your injuries, they often come with undesirable side effects and the risk of dependency, which can be especially concerning for individuals who struggle with substance use. 

Chiropractic adjustments provide a natural, drug-free approach to pain management. By realigning the spine and correcting misalignments, chiropractors can relieve pressure on your nerves, improve blood flow, and reduce muscle tension. This process also triggers the release of pain-reducing hormones like endorphins, providing natural pain relief.

3. Restoring Range of Motion

Whiplash and other common car accident injuries often lead to stiffness and reduced mobility. This loss of mobility can make it increasingly difficult to perform everyday tasks and may result in misaligned joints, inflammation, or scar tissue formation. Chiropractors use targeted spinal adjustments, stretching techniques, and exercises to restore joint function and improve flexibility. 

These treatments help reduce stiffness, enhance mobility, and prevent the development of long-term complications like chronic pain or permanent loss of function. Restoring your range of motion also improves circulation, ensuring that nutrients and oxygen reach injured tissues more effectively, speeding up the healing process.

4. Addressing Hidden Injuries

While some injuries will occur immediately following a car accident, others remain hidden. Injuries like whiplash, soft tissue injuries, and micro-tears from back injuries may not show symptoms for days or weeks after the accident. The delay in symptoms may lead you to believe you left the accident without injuries, only to leave you dealing with chronic pain later. 

Chiropractors are trained to detect subtle changes in alignment, soft tissue health, and nerve function that might be missed during a standard medical exam. They can identify hidden injuries early through physical exams and diagnostic imaging, ensuring timely treatment and preventing minor issues from becoming chronic, debilitating conditions. 

5. Supporting Long-Term Recovery

Chiropractic treatment isn’t just about the immediate relief it provides; it also supports long-term healing and overall health after a car accident. Regular spinal adjustments promote proper alignment, which improves your posture, enhances nerve function, and reduces the likelihood of experiencing future injuries. 

Your chiropractor will develop a custom plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan may include therapeutic exercises, ergonomic advice, and lifestyle modifications to support ongoing recovery and prevent re-injury. Long-term chiropractic care helps maintain optimal health, improve physical performance, and enhance your body’s natural healing ability. 

6. Reducing Scar Tissue

After an injury caused by your car accident, you may develop scar tissue. This tissue is a part of the healing process, aiding the recovery of soft tissue wounds and replacing damaged skin. However, if you are experiencing excessive scar tissue development, you may deal with stiffness, reduced movement, and chronic pain. 

Your chiropractor will use specialized techniques, such as soft tissue mobilization, instrument-assisted therapy, and myofascial release, to break down scar tissue and promote healthy tissue development. These treatments are great for restoring mobility, reducing discomfort, and enhancing the overall function of the impacted areas. 

7. Complementing Other Medical Treatments

Although chiropractic care is a great way to recover from car accidents, it might not be the only medical treatment you’re undergoing. If you are going through a series of different treatments, you can trust that your chiropractic care is the perfect complementary treatment, enhancing your body’s natural healing abilities. 

Your chiropractor can collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure a coordinated approach to recovery. Whether you’re going to physical therapy, acupuncture, or visiting your general care provider, this is a great way to ensure all your symptoms are addressed to prevent underlying causes of pain and dysfunction. 

Helping Patients Across Tooele Recover from Car Accidents

Recovering from an accident can be a difficult journey, but with the right chiropractic team by your side, you don’t have to worry about chronic pain and dysfunction. By reducing inflammation, managing pain without drugs, detecting underlying injuries, and promoting overall well-being, your chiropractor can help you regain your life after a car accident. 

If you’re looking for an expert chiropractor in the Tooele or Grantsville area, turn to our team at Muscle & Joint Chiropractic. We take a hands-on approach to your recovery, spending more time understanding your discomfort and creating the perfect treatment plan for you. With our support, you’ll feel better than ever before. 

If you would like to learn more about how our team can help you recover from a recent car accident, don’t hesitate to contact us today for support.