Driving doesn’t seem like a life-threatening activity because you’re essentially just going from one place to another. But even when you’re already at your destination and parking your car, an accident can still happen. Doesn’t matter if it’s a minor accident or not but the point is, as a car owner, you’d want to avoid it as much as possible. Not only because your life and others' lives can be put at risk but also because it may mean hefty car repair cost as well as other damages. So, aside from seatbelts and airbags which are great, you’d want an effective way to treat injuries related to car accidents.
Accidents happen to the best of us. No matter how precautious you are, you might still find yourself in the middle of a collision. But good to know that you wouldn’t have to bear the pain and injuries that a car accident may have inflicted on you forever in case you get caught in it because chiropractic can offer both short and long term relief.
4 Injuries And Condition Related To Car Accidents
1. Whiplash
A passenger or a driver usually experiences this due to the sudden and rapid front-and-back movement of the head and neck once the car crashes. While most people don’t immediately feel the effect of this, it can lead to chronic neck pain, headaches, shoulder and upper back pain, and numbness when left untreated.
2. Back And Neck Pain
This one, on the other hand, is the most common complain of someone who has had a vehicular accident. But seeking treatment from chiropractors early on should help improve the patient’s condition faster.
3. Headaches
While it’s normal for your head to hurt due to being hit, sometimes it lasts even long after the accident. Instead of relying on painkillers, chiropractic’s spinal manipulation can actually alleviate the symptoms and stop it from coming back.
4. Spinal Cord Injury
You won’t feel the effects of spinal cord injury, especially if you’re too occupied with your car’s damage. But when swelling, bleeding, inflammation, and fluid buildup in or around your spinal cord starts materializing, it could mean that your injury is getting worse. So instead of putting off a thorough chiropractic examination, do it right after the accident because it’d be better for spinal cord injuries to be diagnosed and treated immediately.
Chiropractic Tips For Car Owners
Injuries from driving don’t always happen due to an accident, sometimes it’s your daily driving habit that could be the culprit. To avoid that, here are some tips that you may wanna start practicing.
Wear Comfortable Shoes
Even if you have a formal dress code at work, you don’t have to follow that so strictly outside the office especially while driving to and from work. Always have a comfortable shoes ready in your car so that you can wear those while driving. Know that even while sitting in your car, the shoes you’re wearing can still affect your posture. And your posture is really important in avoiding back pain. You’ll see when you try this how different and comfortable your daily commute drive can be by simply switching your shoes.
Buy A Lumbar Or Cervical Car Cushion
Sitting for an extended period of time is not good for anyone’s back and overall health; however, it has become unavoidable nowadays due to the rising popularity of deskbound jobs as well as long drives to and from work. The back pain you get from all the sitting can aggravate early morning stress of commute. In that case, what you can do is find a way to make sitting less of a torture if you drive a lot is to get yourself one of these cushion and ensure comfort while driving even if you do get stuck in traffic, at least your back is fine.
Always Be In Proper Driving Position
Most people don’t pay much attention to the level of comfort (or the lack thereof) the driver seat provides. Adjust the height of your seat, keep your ears aligned with your shoulders, and use your headrest, by simply doing these you’ll notice a difference with how comfortable your ride can be.
Don’t Forget To Stretch Before And After Your Commute
This is especially important if you’re always on a long drive. But even on average distances this can also be helpful to reduce muscle tension and alleviate the anxiety that often comes with commuting or driving.
Ease The Tension
Whether you’re running late or stuck in heavy traffic, the tension in your neck and back may go from moderate to severe. Shrugging your shoulders when you’re stopped at a red light and putting a lumbar support in between the small of your back and the seat helps lessen the tension.
Be Kind To Your Back
Sitting for a long time while driving or commuting to work and then spending the same or longer amount of time propped on a chair while working in front of your computer is really stressful for our backs. A chair that provides sufficient lumbar support, setting up your monitor at eye level, utilizing a foot stool to keep your knees at a 90 degree angle, as well as standing up every 20 minutes of sitting are great ways to avoid back pain.
Get Adjusted Regularly
Chiropractic adjustments helps speed up the healing process and allow you to move freely again. This would take a lot longer if you just nurse the pain and put off treatment by numbing it.
If you had been in an accident recently or experiencing some of the injuries stated above for some reason, don’t just ignore it! Take action and visit a chiropractor here in Singapore to have it checked. Better sacrifice now than forever endure the pain.