It goes without saying that the most common injury, by far, following auto accidents Portland OR is whiplash. This is especially so if the car you were in was hit from the back. What happens is that once the car is hit, the head is jerked backwards, then thrown forward, then it is pulled back yet again. This jarring action takes only a few milliseconds and strains to their limit the ligaments, tendons and muscles of the neck, shoulders and back. It takes a long time for these soft issues to be healed and they becomes somewhat loose and mobile which can make the spine move beyond what it usually does. As the spine becomes more mobile the discs and the nerve root will become more irritated with time. However, this is not something you notice immediately following auto accidents.
You will agree that when auto accidents Portland OR occur, most people jump out of the car and run to see if any damage has been done to it. With adrenaline flooding their bodies, most do not stop to think of whether or not they have been hurt. In fact, they may feel the sting of pain and rapidly ignore it almost subconsciously as being nothing. What most people do not know is that even at a speed of 5mph whiplash can happen. Women especially, tend to suffer from whiplash more because of how they are made. They have various anatomical differences in their muscle density and the size of their necks.
So how can you know that you are suffering from whiplash after auto accidents? The most common signs are inability to raise your arms or to turn your head. You may also have neck pains, blurred vision, stiffness, numbness in the hands and arms or in some cases that numbness may come with or be replaced by tingling. The symptoms may become noticeable soon after the accident has happened but in some cases they may come several weeks after the fact. Well, the body will try to take measures to protect it so you will notice some swelling or you will begin to feel tender in some places. Scar tissues may also form in those tendons, muscles and ligaments as the body tries to promote stability and reduce movement after Auto Accidents in Portland OR. In some cases, the body may even begin to grow some excess bone in your joints in a bid to stop you from moving them so much. This takes time and is barely noticeable initially.
If you will visit a chiropractor soon after auto accidents Portland OR he or she will be able to not only detect the whiplash and back pain before they become problematic but will also give you the right treatment to ease the pain. Auto accidents do not have to lead to gradual disability. A chiropractor can help.
Whiplash and back pain can come on gradually even weeks after Auto Accidents in Portland OR have happened. Seeing a chiropractor soon after the accident can protect you from gradual disability.
