risks untreated whiplash accident injuries

Risks of Untreated Whiplash or Other Car Accident Injuries

If you’ve recently been in a vehicle accident, it’s entirely possible that you do not feel any immediate symptoms of a significant injury. However, due to the delayed nature of certain related injuries, particularly whiplash, it’s vital to realize that this does not necessarily mean you have not sustained an injury.

At Peterson Chiropractic, we’ve helped numerous car accident victims both identify and treat conditions like whiplash and other auto accident recovery themes. We strongly recommend at least a general examination in the period following a vehicle accident, even if you don’t think you’ve been specifically injured – this is because some of the delayed conditions involved in car accidents, including whiplash, can have severe consequences if they go untreated. Let’s look at some of these risks and why obtaining chiropractic care soon after an accident is important.

Untreated Whiplash

Research has shown that up to 50% of bodily injuries are not seen, and a great example here is whiplash. It’s one of the single most common injuries that occurs during vehicle accidents, or in any situation where the head suddenly jerks forward and backward, injuring the muscles in and around the neck.

Whiplash is known to often show delayed symptoms, especially in cases like car accidents where adrenaline spikes and masks pain concerns for a temporary period of time. If it is not treated properly, whiplash can lead to chronic pain, headaches and damage to the inner muscles of the neck – in certain cases, this damage can last a lifetime. If you receive proper chiropractic adjustments and massage therapy, however, you strengthen the neck area and allow these muscles to recover before any permanent damage is risked.

Untreated Back Concerns

Another common injury type following a car accident is to the back, and this is another area where it can be difficult to determine exactly how much damage has taken place based only on the noticeable symptoms. You will likely feel at least some pain in the hours or days after the accident, but the only way to know for sure how significant such injuries are is to get a proper examination and diagnosis from a doctor or chiropractor.

If back injuries are left without examination or treatment, however, they can lead to everything from chronic pain to permanently poor posture. They also often give way to muscle spasms and long-term nerve pinching risks, which are extremely painful for many people.

Untreated Brain Trauma

Finally, perhaps most concerning here is the potential for a brain injury during a vehicle accident. Once again, many such injuries are not immediately apparent, including concussions – they often take days to show symptoms. If they are not properly identified and treated, they can lead to long-term mood changes, insomnia, memory problems and even major depression – this is why it’s vital to have the head checked in the immediate aftermath of a car accident.

For more on ensuring car accident injuries don’t go untreated, or to learn about how our chiropractic services can help, speak to the staff at Peterson Chiropractic today.

Peterson Chiropractic is led by Doctor Bradley Peterson, who grew up in Davis County and attended the University of Utah.