One portion of our chiropractic business in Sioux Falls is helping people that have been injured in an automobile accident. As the busiest city in South Dakota, we unfortunately have the largest number of accidents of all the towns in our state. According to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety there were 5,735 automobile accidents reported in Sioux Falls in 2021 with 1,388 of the accidents resulting in injuries. Some automobile injuries may be serious and/or life threatening and require hospitalization but there are also many other injuries that can cause pain and suffering that may be helped by chiropractic care.
How does an Accident Cause an Injury?
When an accident happens there is usually a quick deceleration (or slowing down) at impact that causes the people in the car to be jarred. Depending on the type of accident, this could be from front-to-back, from side-to-side, or some combination. When the body undergoes these jarring forces, it can cause damage to the spine and other joints. This can occur from a high-speed accident or a low-speed impact. Common spinal symptoms after an accident include neck pain, whiplash, headaches and back pain. Also, there may be tingling, numbness or pain radiating into the arms or legs. Extremities could also be injured in an accident and result in shoulder pain, ankle/foot pain, wrist pain, jaw or knee pain. Symptoms may show up immediately after the accident or, in some cases, not for several weeks after the accident.
Chiropractic Care for Automobile Injuries in Sioux Falls
If a patient has been injured in a motor vehicle accident and comes in for chiropractic care, we typically start with a detailed history. This includes a description of the accident as well as their current and past symptoms. We then perform a chiropractic evaluation that may include range of motion, running our chiropractic nervoscope, and palpating the spine with our hands. Next, orthopedic and neurological tests may be utilized. If indicated, x-rays or other imaging such as an MRI may be recommended. If, after the evaluation, a patient is determined to be a good chiropractic care candidate we typically will perform chiropractic adjustments that will be supported by exercises and stretching at home.
Contact us Today!
If you are struggling after an accident with symptoms from an automobile injury, whether it is a new injury or many years old, chiropractic care may be able to help. We would welcome the opportunity to evaluate you and determine if we think we can help. If we don’t think chiropractic care is a good option for you, we will give you some ideas on other health care options that may be able to help you. Please contact our office to schedule your appointment with one of our Sioux Falls chiropractors today.