Why You Should See a Chiropractor for Winter Weather Accidents

Have you taken a tumble this winter?

Are you experiencing prolonged pain as a result?

Slips and falls become more common in the wintertime due to snow and ice. While these falls may not feel serious, 1 out of 5 falls causes a serious injury, says the CDC. Falls can cause visible injuries like broken bones, but can also leave invisible soft tissue injuries that can cause even more pain if not treated. 

While slipping on ice, you might try to catch yourself by putting out your arms. When you land, the impact can break bones in your wrist or arms. If you land on your bottom, back, or side, your soft tissue absorbs the shock. This can lead to muscle sprain, torn ligaments and tendons, and can even affect the spine with herniated discs. If you hit your head on the way down, you could be left with a concussion too. 

Car accidents also occur more often in the winter for the same reasons. When you get in an accident, your bones, soft tissue, and spine can be harmed. This can lead to muscle injuries, spinal misalignments, and even whiplash.

When should you see a chiropractor?

After a bad fall or car accident, go to the hospital first. If you notice your pain hasn’t gone away, new muscle spasms, tenderness and numbness/tingling after being treated, these are signs of a back injury. Doctors may miss this because they are looking for large injuries after accidents. If your spine has become misaligned from your accident, it will most likely go untreated. For small accidents, see a chiropractor as soon as possible, even if you don’t feel pain. 

Untreated misalignments, soft tissue injuries, and whiplash can affect your range of motion and leave you with long lasting pain. The longer you put off treatment, the harder the pain will be to treat. The worst-case scenario is that you could need surgery to correct your injuries.

See A Chiropractor In Ann Arbor After Your Accident

The great thing about chiropractic is that it’s non-invasive. Dr. Thatcher will use his activator tool to correct misalignments in your spine. This can help reduce your pain, improve your range of motion, and also reduce inflammation, which helps your soft tissue injuries heal. Thatcher Chiropractic & Laser also uses a cold laser to help speed up the healing process for broken bones and concussions. Laser works by reducing inflammation and creating more energy in your cells that accelerates healing. Laser treatments are quick too, usually lasting about 10 minutes.

Be safe this winter! See Dr. Thatcher, your chiropractor in Ann Arbor for any accident-related injuries. Don’t wait! Schedule an appointment with us today.