It’s been happening more and more in the last few weeks, snow and ice. This year we’ve had rain thrown into our storms like a bad joke and for the last couple months, the roads around St. Peter and Mankato haven’t been the best. If you’ve been in a car accident this winter, take care of yourself and your injury! A common condition experienced due to an accident is whiplash. People sometimes have whiplash and don’t even know it. Severe whiplash can set people up for a lifetime of chronic pain when left untreated. At Rising Sun Chiropractic + Weight Loss, we help get you relief from whiplash and car accident-related pain. If you’ve had a car accident, it can be hard to make choices on what’s best for your recovery. Should you see a chiropractor after a car accident? The quick answer…Yes, you should!
What happens in the first days after a car accident?
In the initial days after a car accident you body begins to heal and you may be in a great deal of pain. Car accidents, even at low speeds, can cause severe soft tissue and musculoskeletal injuries. When you’ve been in an accident, you need someone who is a muscle, joint, bone, ligament, nerve, and tendon expert. Making the choice to see one of the doctors at Rising Sun Chiropractic will give you an advantage in healing. Our team has specialized training in chiropractic adjustment techniques, soft tissue and muscle therapy, home exercise programs and nutritional advice. In the office you have advanced therapeutic tools to reduce pain, improve your ability to move and help you heal faster.
What is whiplash?
It is defined by an uncontrolled motion that leads to an overstretch of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments involved. Not fun, and extremely painful for the body to experience. The first step after an accident is to get yourself checked out by a chiropractic professional! Dr. Seth Nelson has always said don’t ‘watch and wait’; whiplash symptoms typically show up days, or even weeks after the accident. A thorough evaluation will give you protection from worsening the injury.
What does the treatment for whiplash look like at Rising Sun Chiropractic?
The approach to whiplash injuries needs to be specific to your case. Your pain and injuries are unique to you and your accident; your treatment plan should be too. Learning how to tailor the level of treatment to your case is crucial. Rising Sun Chiropractic has years of post-graduate training in rehabilitation.
Did you know there are several different chiropractic adjustment techniques? We have advanced training in low-force activator styles, table techniques, and traditional hands-on chiropractic care. Rising Sun Chiropractic has the knowledge & training to determine the appropriate technique to use at the right time. With this knowledge, we are able to keep your treatment on track with healing.
Did you know chiropractic, massage therapy, and physical therapy may sometimes be too intense for whiplash?
New injuries need special, gentle care. Pushing a new injury too fast with a “no pain, no gain” mentality can lead to chronic inflammation and a poor recovery.
Because we offer a comprehensive suite of care right here in Saint Peter—including chiropractic adjustments, physical rehabilitation, and professional massage therapy—we can seamlessly coordinate your recovery. If your body is too sore or inflamed for manual therapies, we don’t force it. Instead, we can scale down the intensity and start your recovery using our advanced, non-invasive Class IV Deep Tissue Laser until your tissue capacity improves.
Where does the pain come from after a car accident or from whiplash?
After a car accident, the majority of pain comes from soft tissue injuries. When your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and discs get stressed by a car accident and when they do, it can really hurt! Rising Sun Chiropractic has spent hours in continuing education to advance our training with a variety of soft tissue therapies. These therapies include Active Release Technique, FATKR, Graston Therapy, and IASTM. Rising Sun Chiropractic is your source for The McKenzie method in St. Peter. This is a powerful tool for your self care.
Powerful, comfortable treatment even when you’re hurting.
Rising Sun Chiropractic has incorporated a deep tissue laser for even better treatment and care. Our Class IV laser is the most powerful in Southern Minnesota, and provides a pain-free treatment option. The first visit alone provides significant relief and has an immediate effect on pain and inflammation. If the above treatment options are too intense for an individual’s injury, laser therapy is the starting point for treatment.
You deserve a health care team who works with you to achieve your goals, as well as get you back to your pre-injury life as quickly as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about car accidents and whiplash
1. Can Chiropractic care help whiplash?
Yes. Combining targeted chiropractic care with soft tissue therapies and personalized rehabilitation exercises is the most effective way to recover quickly and significantly reduce the likelihood of long-term, chronic pain.
2. Does my auto insurance cover chiropractic care?
Yes. In Minnesota, your auto insurance includes personal injury protection (PIP) coverage to ensure your medical expenses are taken care of after an accident. In most cases, your out-of-pocket expense at our clinic is $0. Our team works closely with your insurance adjuster and handles the paperwork so you can focus entirely on getting better.
3. Do I have to see a medical doctor or get a referral first?
No, you do not need a referral. You can schedule an appointment and be evaluated by our doctors immediately without waiting for a primary care doctor’s note.
4. Will the treatment hurt?
Our absolute priority is to get you out of pain, not cause more of it. If you are hurting or highly sensitive after a wreck, we utilize extremely gentle, low-force adjustments and our soothing Class IV deep tissue laser—the most powerful laser in Southern Minnesota—to reduce inflammation completely pain-free.
5. Should I see a chiropractor after a car accident?
Absolutely. Waiting for symptoms to clear up on their own often allows hidden scar tissue to form incorrectly. Don’t “watch and wait” with your health.
Free Car Accident Consultation
Avoid a lifetime of chronic pain. Contact Dr. Seth Nelson, Dr. Andrea Sperl and the team at Rising Sun today. We handle the insurance adjusters for you so you can focus on recovering.