What Kind of Doctor Should I See After a Car Accident?

It’s imperative that you receive complete care after a car accident. While not everyone needs to visit an E.R. immediately after a wreck, you do need to get checked out as soon as possible. Which specific kinds of doctors treat car accident victims, and how do they help?

Family Doctors

Your primary care physician may seem like the most obvious person to visit first. But depending on your injury, you may not be able to visit your family doctor. This is more common than most people realize. Sometimes the scope of injury requires a specialist to care for you instead. Your family doctor may not have the specific expertise to treat you properly, or they may not be set up for billing car insurance companies.

However, they can certainly help by:

• Referring you to one of their trusted specialists
• Documenting your issues after the accident
• Helping manage ongoing issues after initial treatments

Chiropractors

Experienced chiropractors are specially trained in treating car accident victims with a wide scope of injuries. Proper care from a chiropractor often fends off the need for long-term pain medication. At West End Chiropractic, we’re more than happy to work with your family doctor and all your specialists to ensure a complete recovery.

You’ll be asked specific questions about the accident, and x-rays will be taken. Then you’ll be carefully adjusted to realign your spine, take pressure off of nerves, and to help blood flow return to where it needs to be during the healing process. Many patients experience immediate relief during their very first visit.

The kinds of issues chiropractors treat include, but aren’t limited to:

• Neck pain
• Low back pain
• Herniated discs
• Migraines
• Pinched nerves

After your adjustments, you should be given a plan for continued care. Your plan should include stretches, exercises, and a follow-up appointment. Holistic, long-term care is one of the big advantages in chiropractic medicine.

Medical Specialists

If you’re experiencing specific types of injuries, your primary care physician or chiropractor may refer you to other types of specialists for proper treatment.

Orthopedists

Orthopedists deal with musculoskeletal issues, and they can offer surgical options to deal with serious injuries. Your chiropractor may recommend taking a visit to an orthopedist if you’ve had a fracture, torn ligament, or disc injury. The orthopedist will conduct further tests to explore treatment options.

Neurologists

Neurology treats the nervous system, including your brain, spine, and nerves. Sometimes, symptoms relating to the nervous system will surface several weeks after an accident. If you experience headaches, a concussion, or numbness in your limbs, you may be referred to a neurologist. Your chiropractor will work in tandem with your neurologist for long-term care if needed.

Physical Therapists & Pain Management

Deeper injuries may call for a pain management specialist to help with temporary steroid injections or pain medication. Physical therapists can help regain your strength and range of motion through specific exercise routines aimed at recovery. Both of these options are designed to be temporary while assisting the patient’s ongoing correctional treatments.

Don’t Delay Treatment After a Car Accident!

Whether you’re feeling symptoms of injury after a car accident  or not, you do need to get checked out. Don’t delay a check-up any longer. Come by and see us at West End Chiropractic Clinic, and let’s make sure you’re good to go!