While the most common and well-known injury that many people sustain during a car accident is whiplash, this is far from the only possible injury that could be sustained in this or a similar setting. Another notable injury that can occur in car accidents, but also in several other settings, is that of a pinched nerve.
At Peterson Chiropractic, we’re here to offer comprehensive chiropractic care for auto accidents and the various symptoms they may lead to, from whiplash to many others. In this two-part blog series, we’ll go over what a pinched nerve is, how it can arise during a car accident, and how chiropractic care will often be used to help treat this sort of issue.
Defining Pinched Nerves
For those who have never experienced a pinched nerve, it’s important to understand what this means. In essence, a pinched nerve is a form of nerve damage that arises when the surrounding tissue puts pressure on the affected nerves. This can be due to several different causes, such as swelling in the muscles or tendons that are near the affected area.
Most pinched nerves take place in the neck, chest, shoulders and back, although it is possible for them to occur in other parts of the body as well. Numbness and tingling, as well as a dull ache or burning sensation, are common symptoms associated with pinched nerves.
Pinched Nerves and Car Accidents
Pinched nerves can arise during car accidents due to the sudden nature of the collision. The sheer force of the impact can lead to any number of soft tissue injuries, from sprains and strains to pinched nerves.
In some cases, these issues can happen when the body is forcefully jerked in one direction or another, leading to a strain that may pinch a nerve somewhere along its path. In other cases, the force of the impact can cause swelling and inflammation of surrounding tissues, which puts pressure on a nerve that runs nearby.
Chiropractors may use a few different techniques when it comes to treating pinched nerves after a car accident. Our next several sections, and on into part two of our series, will go over these.
Spinal Adjustment
In some cases, such as if the pinched nerve is located in an area of the back or spine, a chiropractor may use spinal adjustments to help relieve the pressure on this affected nerve. Spinal adjustments involve manipulating the joints and surrounding muscle tissue, allowing for better alignment of all these structures as well as increased flexibility and range-of-motion.
Spinal adjustment can be a very effective treatment for pinched nerves that are caused by the misalignment of bones in the back or neck. By realigning these bones, and then strengthening the surrounding tissue with supportive methods, it may be possible to remove the pressure on a pinched nerve and restore its function.
In part two of our series, we’ll go over some additional treatments that may be employed by a chiropractor to help treat pinched nerves, as well as how they can help speed up the recovery process after an auto accident.
If you’ve experienced a pinched nerve due to a car accident, don’t wait any longer to get proper treatment — contact Peterson Chiropractic today for comprehensive care and support. We’ll work with you to create a personalized plan that’s tailored to your needs, so you can recover from your injury as quickly and effectively as possible.