Best Whiplash Doctor for Auto Injuries

Whiplash is a common type of injury resulting from many auto accidents, the wide majority caused by rear-end auto collisions. For those individuals who’ve sustained a whiplash-related injury after experiencing an automobile accident, the kind of doctor they should seek must specialize in automobile injuries. Choosing the right doctor can also depend largely on the individual’s geographical location and insurance as well as whether the individual has an attorney or if their state of residence uses PIP.

Choosing a Whiplash Doctor

Auto accidents aren’t necessarily the only cause behind whiplash, but they do occur more frequently during these incidents. Whiplash can result from any motion in which the head is abruptly jolted forward and then backwards at an increased speed. The accelerated movement often leads to the irritation and inflammation of the ligaments and tendons found in the neck, occasionally causing a tear within these complex tissues. A doctor who specializes in auto accident injuries can properly identify the presence of whiplash and follow up with the most appropriate treatment program to decrease and eliminate the pain and other symptoms associated with the injury as well as restore the individual’s flexibility. A medical doctor, an orthopedic, physical therapist, primary care physician and a chiropractor, are several different types of healthcare specialists who focus on different complications and can treat automobile accident injuries and conditions.

Many individuals who’ve been involved in a car accident, don’t receive the proper health care they need and deserve for their whiplash injuries. Ultimately, the type of doctor an auto accident victim receives treatment from can determine their outcome for recovery. It’s important to be well-informed of the training and expertise of a whiplash doctor before accepting treatment because not all of the above mentioned healthcare specialists will treat whiplash injuries.

Frequently, people who’ve suffered whiplash-associated injuries from an auto accident will go to the ER, however, a majority of the ER’s in the United States are designed to only treat visible and life-threatening injuries as quickly as possible. In some instances, an individual who experienced whiplash may receive excellent medical care for their injuries, although in most cases, individuals will only have some X-rays taken to determine the presence of a fracture and will then be immediately be sent to their primary care physician, without being treated for underlying soft-tissue injuries such as whiplash.

Primary Care Physicians and Whiplash

Many primary care physicians don’t treat automobile accident injuries, often leaving the victim feeling confused and wondering what their next step to take should be. Other doctors believe whiplash is not a legitimate injury and may refuse care. In a majority of cases where a doctor won’t treat an individual with whiplash, third party billing may be involved. Primary care physicians may not be set up for third party billing, where they need to bill the at-fault insurance company, PIP, or med pay.

Chiropractic Care: Recommended Whiplash Doctor

Chiropractic is a popular, alternative treatment option for treating a variety of injuries and conditions, including many spinal complications. As a matter of fact, a chiropractor is the most recommended whiplash doctor for treating the condition as well as various other auto accident injuries. Chiropractic care focuses on non-drug, therapeutic treatments to naturally restore the individual’s health and relieve their symptoms of pain and discomfort. After a careful diagnosis, a chiropractor will follow up with an appropriate series of treatments and therapies.

When an individual seeks chiropractic care due to neck pain after being involved in an automobile accident, the whiplash doctor will evaluate the individual’s entire spine to determine the source of their symptoms. They may analyze the way the person walks, their posture as well as their overall spinal alignment, and they may also examine if the individual has restricted mobility along with tenderness, tightness, muscle spasms, ligament and joint injuries and/or disc trauma. Additionally, a chiropractor may order an MRI and X-ray of the individual’s spine to determine if any degenerative alterations were present prior to the accident.

It’s essential with any accident injury case to determine if there were any pre-existing injuries or conditions before the auto collision as this can be important information for the insurance company. It’s up to a chiropractor to document any new and pre-existing injures. After the diagnosis, the whiplash doctor can then develop the best, most appropriate treatment plan for an individual’s auto accident injuries.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Whiplash

Depending on the individual’s whiplash level of severity, the chiropractic treatment plan may differ slightly for each person. Spinal adjustments and manual manipulations are the most common treatment techniques for whiplash and other types of injuries. Other spinal techniques chiropractors may use include: flexion-distraction, specific spinal manipulation, instrument-assisted therapy; which uses specialized hand-held instruments to apply a gentle force, therapeutic massages, trigger point therapy, interferential electrical stimulation; which is a low frequency electrical current that helps stimulate the muscles to reduce inflammation, and ultrasound; which helps decrease muscle spasms, stiffness and pain on the affected area.

A chiropractor doesn’t just treat a specific injury or condition; they focus on treating the individual as a whole, restoring the body’s original health naturally. Furthermore, a whiplash doctor may also recommend a series of personalized exercise routines to increase the range or motion in the affected regions and reduce the symptoms, ultimately speeding up the rehabilitation process.

Chiropractors have a lot to offer after an individual has suffered injuries or developed a condition following a car accident. Chiropractic care is an effective, alternative treatment option for many auto injuries, especially whiplash. It’s crucial to treat any injury immediately in order to avoid further complications and chiropractic treatment can help ensure the individual feels better from their pain and discomfort.  

By Dr. Alex Jimenez