When you think about seeking chiropractic care after an accident, you’re probably thinking about more significant accidents. You likely are imagining major rear-endings, T-bone collisions, and rollovers. While these people do benefit from chiropractic care, they aren’t the only people who can experience relief from this care.
In fact, even individuals who are in minor fender-benders may benefit from scheduling an appointment with their trusted chiropractor. Although you may initially walk away from a minor accident thinking that you got away without an injury, there may be some problems lurking beneath the surface waiting to emerge.
In this blog, we’ll explore why everyone, including individuals who are in minor fender-benders, should seek chiropractic care in the aftermath.
Can You Really Be Injured in a Minor Fender-Bender?
Although you may consider minor fender-benders to be an injury-free event, this isn’t always the case. Even if you initially walk away from the accident feeling fine, it isn’t uncommon to experience injury symptoms in the hours or days following a smaller accident. Even if you are in a minor accident, the unexpected jolt is enough to put sudden force on your body.
Whether you’re rear-ended, side-swiped, or in a single-car accident, any unexpected or unplanned movement can cause your body to move in a violent, sharp way that puts excessive strain on your muscles and tendons. While seat belts and other safety devices will limit movement in these moments, even small, sharp movements can cause personal injuries.
Why Do Symptoms Often Appear Hours or Days After a Small Accident?
In the immediate aftermath of an accident, no matter how small it may be, you’ll experience a sudden spike in adrenaline. As a result of this adrenaline rush, you’ll experience a rush of endorphins and epinephrine, which can mask any initial injury symptoms. As the adrenaline and endorphins fade, the symptoms of your minor fender-bender injury may begin to emerge, leaving you feeling a little worn down.
While it can be frustrating to experience these delayed injury symptoms, it is important to remember that this is your body’s natural response to these kinds of situations. Your body will immediately respond to an accident with this fight-or-flight response, acting as a natural painkiller to allow you to respond to the immediate problem.
However, as the adrenaline and endorphins fade, you may begin to notice increased stiffness and inflammation in your soft tissue, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back. In some cases, you may also notice increased dizziness, lightheadedness, and headaches, which can be a sign of a concussion or other brain injury.
What Types of Injuries Are Common in Low-Speed Collisions?
It isn’t uncommon to experience some injuries more frequently following a minor fender-bender, including soft tissue strains, concussions, and whiplash. Much like with other car accident injuries, minor fender-benders can rapidly, unexpectedly strain your body. Some of the most common injuries that you may experience following a minor fender-bender include:
- Whiplash: The most common car accident injury, even following smaller accidents, is whiplash, which occurs when the head jerks rapidly back and forth, straining the muscles and ligaments in your neck.
- Concussion: In addition to injuring your neck as a result of the unexpected movement, individuals who are involved in a minor fender-bender may experience a concussion as a result of their brain rattling in their skull.
- Seat Belt Syndrome: As your car suddenly decelerates and your body jerks into a locked seat belt, you may experience bruising and injuries to your chest and hips near the sight of the belt.
- Soft Tissue Injury: In addition to experiencing muscle and ligament strain in your neck and around your seat belt, you may also experience soft tissue injuries in other parts of your body as they respond to the sudden movement.
- Herniated Disc: Even during a minor fender-bender, the spinal discs between your vertebrae can suddenly compress, leaving you with pain, numbness, and increased sciatica symptoms.
How Does Adrenaline Mask Pain After an Accident?
The role of adrenaline is to provide a sudden release of epinephrine and endorphins, which temporarily block pain receptors and raise your pain threshold. This allows for a fight-or-flight response, allowing your body to respond to the immediate threat in a situation. In the case of a minor fender-bender, you have an opportunity to address the aftermath of the accident.
Your body shuts down the pain pathways to the brain, instead focusing its attention on addressing the problem in front of you. Adrenaline will also heighten your alertness and quickness reaction. This initial hormone change can distract your brain from registering pain that you may have experienced as a result of your accident.
This adrenaline rush typically lasts for a few hours following the accident. However, as your stress levels decrease, you will begin to experience increased muscle tightness, stiffness, and general discomfort in your ligaments and tendons. While it can be frustrating, this reaction is designed to keep you safe in situations of immediate danger.
When Should You See a Chiropractor After a Minor Car Crash?
While some minor fender-bender injuries will go away on their own, you would still benefit from going to visit a chiropractor. It can be tempting to put off seeking medical care, especially if you don’t think you’re experiencing a major injury. However, this puts you at risk of developing much more significant, severe symptoms.
Even if you feel fine immediately following an accident, it is always in your best interest to reach out to a trusted chiropractor to schedule an appointment. They can perform a thorough physical examination following your accident, catching the smallest sign of problems before they begin presenting more significantly during your day-to-day life.
With the support of a chiropractor following a minor fender-bender, you can begin a treatment plan to address these minor injuries immediately. They may also be able to provide you with lifestyle adjustments to make your recovery period easier. While it can seem premature, it is always in your best interest to reach out before problems begin occurring.
Recover From a Minor Fender-Bender in Tooele, Utah
No matter what kind of car accident you were in, our team at Muscle & Joint Chiropractic is here to provide you with compassionate support. We understand firsthand how this discomfort can impact your day-to-day life which is why we are dedicated to crafting a custom recovery plan, unique to your pains and injuries. When you partner with our team for your car accident recovery, you can trust that you’re working with a reliable team who wants to relieve you of lasting pain.
If you would like to schedule an appointment to treat a recent car accident injury, don’t hesitate to contact us today.