Did you know that vehicular accidents are among the leading causes of permanent disability worldwide? Statistics show that approximately 50 million individuals are injured annually due to motor vehicular accidents. Some cases result in numbness, weakness, tingling, and muscle pain due to a disturbance in the musculoskeletal framework after the collision. Therefore, healthcare practitioners strongly advise consultation with an auto accident chiropractor in Lehi to restore normal function of the tendons, ligaments, and muscles of the body.
Chiropractic Consultation
Consultation with a chiropractor is advised at the earliest sign of pain, discomfort, stiffness, and limitation in range of motion. Your chiropractor will formulate a working clinical impression based on the onset, duration, location, and frequency of symptoms. In addition, it is essential to determine the medical history of the patient, including the presence of co-morbid illnesses such as high blood pressure, vertigo, and osteoarthritis, which may affect the method of spinal readjustment.
Neurological Examination
This is the next step that chiropractors perform to assess the motor and sensory function of the body. This is useful in conducting a personalized chiropractic management plan to ensure a quick recovery. Neurological tests to assess deep tendon reflexes, muscle coordination, nerve root compression, and sensorimotor capacity are conducted to determine the health of spine and nerve root functions.
Orthopedic Examination
Chiropractors also perform a basic orthopedic examination to assess the stability of muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments in the body. This is crucial to check for asymmetry, fractures, dislocation, and misalignment within the body. Your auto accident chiropractor may also check for obscure defects since gentle traction may only be applied over these areas to prevent injury and instability.
Imaging Tests
Based on the history and physical examination findings, imaging tests are performed to visualize the underlying spinal segments and bone fragments that were injured during the accident. Radiographic analysis through spine X-ray is often done to locate misaligned vertebrae. This is to make sure that localized treatment is performed over the injured area to prevent tissue damage in adjacent tissues.
Spinal Manipulation
This is the most frequently utilized technique by chiropractors to promote anatomical restoration in the injured area. This method of physical rehabilitation can be classified into three types, namely the Gonstead, activator, and flexion distraction technique.
The Gonstead method, which is the safest and most common technique, involves the determination of the misaligned structures to pinpoint the areas that require spinal readjustment. The activator technique is another method that uses a special device to stimulate movement in the injured muscles of the spine. Gentle force is applied over the sore surface to induce pain relief and muscle relaxation. Flexion distraction, which is a more intensive method, involves gentle stretching to treat scoliosis and disc herniation.
