Car accidents, even when they’re minor, can wreak havoc on our bodies. When you’re fortunate enough to walk away relatively unscathed, you’re still going to be dealing with some residual soreness. Ignoring issues that occur from being in a car accident can lead to the development of chronic pain and minor injuries become more serious over time. That’s why it is so important to see a chiropractor after you’ve been in a car accident. Not convinced? We’ve put together a list of three reasons why you should seek out chiropractic care after a car accident. If you’re looking to treat lingering issues from an accident, call Dr. Steve Perlstein at Family Chiropractic Care of Santa Fe to schedule an appointment today.

Reduce Inflammation

After a car accident, the body will have small micro-tears in the ligaments and muscles which an X-ray will not be able to catch. Those micro-tears are the cause of the severe pain people wake up with the day after an accident. Most often they are a result of whiplash, as muscles cannot be jerked so quickly without sustaining some sort of damage. Chiropractic care will manipulate your spine in a way to encourage the release of IL-6, which is an anti-inflammatory substance the body creates to help heal minor injuries like micro-tears.

Restore Motion

The inflammation that occurs after your neck and back are injured in an accident will result in larger problems down the road. This is because the healing process is slowed, as blood, oxygen, and nutrients won’t be able to get to the muscles and ligaments they need to. However, with a chiropractic adjustment, your spine will be realigned, allowing for the healing process to kick in. The relief from this starts pretty quickly once the healing process begins, which will make you feel even better the next day.

Reduce Scar Tissue

While you may initially think of scar tissue as skin deep reminders of old wounds, it can also develop within the body. Scar tissue develops on muscles when they’re injured as our body’s natural response in hopes to heal the injury. However, when scar tissue develops on a muscle, it will cause you to feel stiff and uncomfortable. Though this will typically heal on its own, depending on the severity of the scar tissue it could reduce your overall movement going forward. A chiropractor will be able to target damaged areas where scar tissue is present and help it break up faster than the body is able to heal on its own.

Studies have shown that people who undergo chiropractic therapy shortly after a car accident are less-likely to suffer from long-term problems. By reducing inflammation, encouraging the body’s natural healing process, and restoring motion and scar tissue, you’ll start feeling better faster than if you just left it to get better on its own. Whether you were recently in a car accident or you’re just dealing with lingering pain that just won’t go away, chiropractic therapy can help you. Instead of relying on your Google search of “chiropractor near me”, trust the experts here in Santa Fe. Call Family Chiropractic Center of Santa Fe to schedule your appointment and start feeling better today!