Almost all of my personal injury clients come to me while they are still in pain.
The treatment always seems the same: First, they went to the hospital where limited x-rays were taken. Assuming there were no broken bones, they are given a few pain pills and told to see their family doctor for follow-up. Then they go to their family doctor who almost always prescribes physical therapy. Seeing your doctor following a personal injury or accident is always advised, but many people find assistance elsewhere.
Confusion, frustration and depression set in when they don’t feel better following physical therapy. But why?
Benefits of Chiropractic Care and Physical Therapy
The problem is that physical therapy is good for muscle atrophy and soreness as well as to expand a joint’s range of motion. But that is often as far as it goes. The skeletal muscles are like the frame of a house. If the frame shifts, the house will eventually sag under the weight and stress and eventually collapse.
When you are in an accident the force and speed of the collision can shift the spine and other bones out of place. Sometimes just working on the joints and overlying muscles is not enough. You have to start with the frame of your house: the skeletal bones. A good chiropractor can get the bones re-aligned which will give you the good foundation needed to start working on the muscles.
I myself was in a bad car accident a few years ago and separated my shoulder. Physical therapy helped but without my chiropractor I would have been in a sling for weeks.
Learn more about chiropractic care
First, you should always follow your doctor’s advice. But while you’re at the doctor’s office being checked out, ask if chiropractic care would be right for you. Sometimes it can be counter to the physical therapy because the muscles have to become strong enough to hold the adjustment.
Sometimes it should come after the physical therapy (that’s what I had to do); sometimes before; sometimes during. But at least ask. It is often an overlooked area because it is so misunderstood by the general public. What I do know is that many of our clients come back and say they finally feel better. That’s what matters most.
If you need assistance with your legal matters related to lingering pain or discomfort following an injury or accident, contact the Bucks County personal injury lawyers at Penglase & Benson for more information.
