It happens without warning. One minute you are driving along, and the next you are in a motor vehicle accident.

 

Whether it is a minor fender-bender or a more serious collision, you could be left with pain and discomfort. Seeking care right away can make a major difference in your recovery and reduce the chances of long-term health problems.

 

Common injuries after an accident

There are a variety of injuries that can occur after a motor vehicle accident. Some injuries and symptoms may appear immediately, others may take hours or sometimes days to appear. Being in an auto accident is not something to take lightly.

Below are common injuries that can occur.

 

Low Velocity Injuries- Usually occur when you are driving under 10 mph, or if you are hit by another vehicle that is traveling 10 mph or less. These injuries usually cause muscle strain or seat belt bruises. Other symptoms may be delayed, but pain and stiffness may occur within 12-36 hours after the impact.

 

High Velocity Injuries- These injuries are sustained when your vehicle or another vehicle is traveling over 10mph. Often times, injuries usually result from the body hitting objects in the car, such as the dashboard, window or the steering wheel. Common problems resulting from this kind of impact include head, shoulder or knee trauma; a variety of contusions, wrist fractures, neck sprains and concussions.

 

Traumatic Cervical Syndrome (Whiplash) - This type of injury occurs when the neck is forced into rapid movements faster than what your bones, ligaments and muscles can accommodate. This injury is usually referred to as whiplash, which is a non-medical term for a strain or a sprain of the neck caused by sudden movement. Even a seemingly minor accident can cause soft-tissue and musculo-skeletal injuries such as whiplash.

 

Whiplash symptoms include:

-Neck pain or stiffness

-Headache

-Dizziness

-Back pain

-Pain in your shoulders or arms

 

Other symptoms can include memory loss, poor concentration, nervousness and irritability, sleeplessness or fatigue.

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Whiplash Research

Growing evidence suggests that whiplash injuries are more common and take longer to detect than previously thought. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety concluded in a 2008 report that “whiplash neck sprain is the most frequently reported crash injury in U.S. insurance claims and that these injuries can occur in even minor traffic accidents of less than 20 mph.”

 

 The Association of British Insurers (“ABI”) reported in 2008 that British automobile insurance companies receive more than 1,200 whiplash claims per day and that 75% of all personal injury claims related to motor vehicle accidents involve whipash claims. Recent studies have suggested that many whiplash injuries do not show up for years after an accident. In 2009, a Japanese study using longitudinal MRI found that degenerative changes were detected in the cervical spine of patients even ten years after whiplash injuries, who had no overt physical symptoms during this time.

 

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Treatment options

It is important to seek care promptly for any injuries and symptoms immediately after an accident. It may be a difficult decision to choose the right form of care to address your pain and discomfort. But it is an important decision to make in order to keep current injuries from becoming chronic. The good news is that you have choices. Depending on the type of injury, chiropractic, massage, physical therapy and acupuncture are the most commonly used treatment modalities. It is also common for patients to combine different modalities for faster results and to be able to address different aspects of an injury.

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How Gonstead Chiropractic can help

Gonstead Chiropractic can play an important role in helping people recover after a car accident by identifying and correcting injuries that may not be immediately apparent but can lead to long-term pain and dysfunction if left untreated. Motor vehicle accidents often cause sudden trauma to the spine, such as whiplash, joint misalignments, disc stress, and nerve irritation, even at low speeds. A doctor trained in the Gonstead system uses a detailed, precise analysis—including posture assessment, motion palpation, instrumentation, and imaging when appropriate—to pinpoint the exact areas of injury rather than relying on generalized treatment. Specific Gonstead adjustments are then applied to restore proper spinal alignment, reduce inflammation and nerve pressure, and support the body’s natural healing process. By improving spinal stability and nervous system function, Gonstead Chiropractic can help decrease pain, restore mobility, prevent compensatory patterns, and reduce the risk of chronic symptoms, allowing patients to recover more fully and return to daily activities with greater comfort and confidence.

 

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