Car Accident Injuries Carrollton, TX
- Whiplash to Disc Injuries
- Documented With CRMA
- LOP Accepted
Car accident injuries can arise in various parts of your body and not just your neck. Because of that, treatments vary depending on the injury sustained. Dr. Hoa Nguyen of Dallas Spine Center in Carrollton, TX, has spent over two decades treating personal injuries, including auto-accident injuries. He will not just treat your injuries, but he’ll also document everything.
On this page, you’ll find information about the injuries our chiropractor looks for from head to toe. He’ll find out whether or not your injuries are caused by the collision and determine if your symptoms require you to visit an emergency room. You may check our whiplash treatment guide if your main complaint is neck pain from a car crash.
What Car Accident Injuries Are
Car accident injuries are usually in the spine, even though the collision can hurt any area of the body. It’s rare to see a crash affect only one spot. For that reason, Dr. Nguyen performs a thorough whole-body examination to check whether your injuries are the result of a collision:
- Neck strain and whiplash
- Lower back disc injuries
- Mid-back pain and strain
- Shoulder, elbow, and wrist injuries
- Hand and finger injuries
- Knee and foot problems
- Headaches and facial injuries
- Chest pain and trouble breathing
Your spine is frequently affected during a collision because sudden impacts can generate massive forces that exceed the load limits of your vertebrae. It can cause a herniated disc, a bulging disc, or a protruding disc in your lower back. The force can also tear your muscles and ligaments. Because some of these injuries won’t show symptoms immediately, you need to undergo imaging to confirm. The examination doesn’t stop at how you feel after the event.
Why Every Injury Must Be Documented First
Every injury must be documented, especially if you’re filing a recovery and injury claim. Your medical records matter in this type of legal process. Before our chiropractor treats your injury, he must first prove that the injury is new and caused by the crash. In that case, you go through a meticulous process before your treatment even begins.
- 1Undergo an orthopedic exam. This is to record which part of your body hurts and how each injured area responds to testing.
- 2X-rays are taken in the office. They’re necessary to rule out bone problems or fractures that would make chiropractic care not ideal as treatment.
- 3CRMA analysis (Computerized Radiographic Mensuration Analysis) measures X-rays for ligament laxity. It can prove that the injury is new and that it’s related to the recent accident.
- 4After the 8th or 12th visit, an MRI is performed to check for any bulging or protruding discs.
How Car Accident Injuries Are Treated in Carrollton
Treatment depends on your specific car accident injuries and where you are in your healing. The first stage focuses on your pain, muscles, ligaments, and soft tissue. We use TENS uni, an infrared heat pad, Hako-Med, red light therapy, and shockwave therapy. Our chiropractor may also add gentle adjustments and manual therapy in the mix only if they’re deemed safe.
After the first stage, Dr. Nguyen will request an MRI to find out whether or not the crash caused a disc injury. If it does, your care will transition into an active stage, which may include Vibraplate and spinal decompression. We use ProAdjuster SRT for spinal adjustments. This is done for comfort and accuracy. But this is excluded if the area has ligament instability. The entire process is presented here on our auto accident care page.
What Recovery Looks Like After a Crash
Your recovery will depend on what the crash did to your body. If you sustained mild injuries, you would stay in the conservative stage because they only cause soft tissue sprains and strains of muscles and ligaments. But if you sustained severe injuries involving discs, like extrusion or herniation, your recovery can take longer.
Dr. Nguyen will not guess about the progress of your treatment. At every stage of your treatment, he’ll reassess your body’s response. He’ll change your plan when something doesn’t work. If your recovery doesn’t progress, he’ll request an MRI soon. He may also refer you out to the right specialist. He won’t do any more of the same care.
Signs You Need to Visit an Emergency Room
Not all crash injuries can be treated with chiropractic care. That’s why we always recommend that our patients go to the emergency room first if they’ve not done so. Dr. Nguyen examines his patients before accepting them, especially after a crash. If you have any of these symptoms, please visit the emergency room instead of coming to our chiropractic office:
- Loss of consciousness, confusion, drowsiness, or memory loss
- Severe or worsening headaches
- New numbness, tingling, weakness, or trouble walking
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
- Shortness of breath, chest pain, or severe abdominal pain
- Persistent dizziness, vision loss, speech difficulty, or facial weakness
Car Accident Injury FAQs
Why does my back hurt after a car accident?
After a car accident, your lower back might be injured in various ways. The force causes a disc to either bulge or protrude. The affected disc can press on your nerve to cause shooting pain into the legs. Your muscles, ligaments, and your middle back can also be strained. To know which of these injuries is the real reason for your pain, we perform an examination and take X-rays.
Is a headache after a car accident serious?
A headache after a car accident can become serious. A headache is one of the injuries from a car crash. Dr. Nguyen evaluates every personal injury case that comes to our office. It’s often a part of a larger injury picture. A severe or worsening headache can be a sign of a concussion or traumatic brain injury that warrants a visit to the emergency room.
Can a car accident cause a herniated disc?
Yes, a car accident can cause a herniated disc. The reason for this is that the disc pushes out or breaks through its wall that can pinch a nerve. This causes shooting pain into your arms or legs. After the initial stage of your care, an MRI can confirm if a disc was truly injured.
What causes chest pain after a car accident?
A car accident can lead to chest pain along with difficulty breathing. Chest pain, shortness of breath, or abnormal vital signs can indicate a serious problem. Our chiropractor won’t treat it. You should proceed to the emergency room.
What is considered a serious injury in a car accident?
The most serious crash injuries involve your brain, the spinal cord, blood vessels, and fractures. Loss of consciousness, severe headaches, loss of bowel or bladder control, and new weakness are warning signs that you need to go to the emergency room first. If you have spinal fractures, dislocations, or cord compression, you need to go to a specialist first.
Does health insurance cover car accident injuries?
Most car accident treatments here at Dallas Spine Center are covered through our letter of protection. This means payment for your care comes out of your settlement. If you have no coverage and the at-fault driver has no insurance, then you’re responsible for the entire cost of your treatment. Our front desk can explain your situation to you.
Get Every Crash Injury Checked and Documented
Call the office to set up your accident exam, in-house x-rays, and CRMA analysis with Dr. Nguyen. Most accident care is handled through a letter of protection, so payment for your treatment comes from your settlement.
Dallas Spine Center, 3730 N Josey Ln #122, Carrollton, TX 75007. Serving Lewisville, Plano, Frisco, North Dallas, Addison, Farmers Branch, Coppell, Highland Village, The Colony, and Little Elm.