Dangers of Low Impact Auto Accidents
By Sara Butler
So you’re driving home from work and get in a little fender-bender – no big deal, right? Well, probably not. Even if your car doesn’t sustain a lot of damage in a low-impact car accident, your body might. People involved in low-impact car accidents can still get injured. Here’s what you need to know about these kinds of mishaps and what you should do if you’re involved in one.
The Myth of Low-Impact
Even if you were in a parking lot and only going 5 miles per hour, that doesn't mean you have nothing to worry about. On average, cars weight about 3000 pounds, so even going at a low speed means that over two tons of metal have collided with you.
Even in more serious accidents, you may not feel as if you are injured, but that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. Your chiropractor advises that any time you’re in a car accident you get seen as soon as possible, no matter how serious the accident. Injuries, such as whiplash, may not show up right away. In fact, it can take days for some injuries to show symptoms. So, don’t wait for the symptoms to show up, just be proactive and get into The Joint right away!
Symptoms of a Trauma
Even if the accident is something you don’t consider serious, you can still develop some of these common whiplash symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Arm numbness
- Dizziness
- Neck pain
- Nausea
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Ringing in the ears
If you ever experience any of these symptoms after a car accident you need to see your chiropractor as soon as you possibly can. Your chiropractor can check your spine to make sure there’s not more damage than you might suspect. At a minimum, experiencing symptoms means that there has been some damage to your soft tissues – damage that can lead to bigger problems if not treated properly.
The Danger of Untreated Injuries
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, whiplash is more common than any other injury from a car accident in the United States. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury, so if it’s not going to show up on an MRI or X-ray. This is why you need the experience of a chiropractor to help you get an accurate diagnosis.
If you don’t get your whiplash treated, you can experience some painful side effects such as loss of range of motion, stiffness, swelling, and headaches. These symptoms can persist for long after the accident if you don’t get the underlying problem, the soft tissue damage, assessed and treated by a chiropractor.
Don’t dismiss little accidents as no big deal, instead stay safe and see your chiropractor!