A common question in our office is: Does chiropractic care hurt after an accident? Chiropractic adjustments are not intended to be painful.
In fact, when someone has recently been injured in a car accident, one of the most important parts of providing appropriate chiropractic care is understanding exactly what happened before deciding how to adjust them.
That’s why we place so much emphasis on a thorough examination.
We Don’t Want to Guess After an Accident
A patient who has just been through a collision may be experiencing pain, inflammation, muscle guarding, restricted movement, or injuries that require us to modify how we approach their care.
Before making recommendations, our doctors want to understand:
- How the accident happened
- Where your vehicle was impacted
- How your body moved during the collision
- What symptoms you’re experiencing
- Your previous injuries and health history
- Your orthopedic and neurological examination findings
- What your digital X-rays show when imaging is clinically appropriate
The more we understand about your injuries, the more thoughtfully we can determine what type of care is appropriate for you.
Your X-Rays Help Us Make Informed Decisions
When clinically appropriate, digital X-rays give our doctors additional information about your spine that we can’t obtain simply by looking at you from the outside.
We take the time to carefully evaluate those images alongside your history and examination findings before making our recommendations.
Why does that matter?
Because after an accident, we don’t want to guess.
We want as much appropriate information as possible so we can determine whether and how chiropractic care should be provided—or whether we need additional information first.
What If I’m Really Sore?
Tell us.
Communication is extremely important, especially after an injury.
If an area is particularly painful or sensitive, we want to know. Our doctors can modify positioning and adjusting techniques based on your condition, comfort, examination findings, and response to care.
There are different ways to perform a chiropractic adjustment, including gentler approaches when appropriate.
You don’t have to “tough it out” to receive chiropractic care.
We want you communicating with us throughout the process.
What If Something Doesn’t Look Right?
Then we investigate further.
If your history, examination, X-rays, symptoms, or progress suggest that something requires additional evaluation, we won’t simply continue adjusting and hope for the best.
We may recommend an MRI, additional imaging, or evaluation by an orthopedic specialist, neurologist, pain management provider, or another healthcare professional.
Sometimes chiropractic care can remain part of the overall plan.
Sometimes another provider needs to take the lead.
Healthcare is a team sport.
Gentle, Thorough and Based on You
Our goal is to make your experience at Chandler Chiropractic as comfortable as reasonably possible while providing care that’s appropriate for your individual injuries.
That begins with listening.
Then examining.
Then understanding what we’re seeing.
And only then determining the appropriate approach to care.
We don’t believe an adjustment should be something you’re afraid of.
If you’re nervous, sore, or concerned that chiropractic care might hurt after your accident, tell us.
We’ll talk with you about what we’re recommending, why we’re recommending it, and what you can expect before we proceed.
Because a great chiropractic experience doesn’t begin with an adjustment.
It begins with understanding the patient we’re about to adjust.
