Seattle Chiropractor Capitol Hill » Auto Accident

The importance of a chiropractic evaluation following an auto accident

Dr Jared — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 02:52:00 +0000

Many of my current clients have told me that when they went to their regular doctor following an accident, they received a brief examination, given some medication and released. Few of them were x-rayed, and even fewer were referred to chiropractors to detect spine and muscle injuries. A February 2001 study in the Journal of Clinical Epidemiology revealed that accident victims, classified as having “minor” injuries experienced a threefold increase of neck and shoulder pain 7 years after their accidents. Another study published in 1997 in the American Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology found that 21.6% of adults with neck injuries (whiplash) developed Fibromyalgia with 1 year of their injury! Don’t just walk away from the accident and hope that you will be fine. You have the right to a complete chiropractic evaluation to detect subtle injuries to the spine and muscles that can result in an increased risk of headache, back pain, fatigue, stomach pain, sleep disturbance and general ill health years later. If you or someone you know has been in an auto accident, call our office today at 206-860-9090 to schedule a chiropractic evaluation. Take control of your healthcare, choose chiropractic!

How do i know whether to use ice or heat after an injury?

Dr Jared — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:04:00 +0000

People often ask me which is better to use to facilitate healing, ice or heat. To determine this, its helpful to understand what ice and heat do to the tissues.

ICE: decreases the flow of circulation, decreases swelling after an acute injury, decreases pain impulses, and INCREASES muscle and ligament tension. Best applied after an acute injury in which a sprain/strain has occurred and where there is swelling. Also, when unusual or strenuous physical activity is followed by muscle or joint pain, its best to apply ice. Never apply ice directly to the skin, wrap the ice pack in a cloth before placing over the injured area. Ice is typically applied for :10 minutes every hour for the first 1-3 days, but its best to consult your doctor for the exact treatment frequency.

HEAT: increases circulation of blood and decreases muscle and ligament tension. Best used to relieve chronic muscle and ligament tension. Moist heat penetrates deeper into the body than dry heat and be sure to dry the area after use to prevent rapid cooling.

Hope that helps!! If you have questions let me know, I’d be happy to help.

Core strengthing exercises at work.

Dr Jared — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:19:00 +0000

This exercise is the foundation of core strength and its so simple you can do it just about anywhere. ok, here it goes: One of the most important muscles for core stability is the transverse abdominus. To activate this muscle, you simply exhale as you pull your belly toward your spine, hold for 5-10 seconds, repeat 12-20x. thats it! now there are several variations for this and different points of awareness, but this is the most basic, simple method of beginning to strengthen your core. have fun!

2 simple postures to relieve lower back pain

Dr Jared — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:09:00 +0000

There are basically 2 simple postures you can do when experiencing lower back pain or stiffness. The first is simply lying on your back and bringing your knees toward your chest for 3-5 minutes. Do not bounce the legs, but simply hold them toward your chest. your head should be relaxed and breathe easily. The second posture is easily achieved by placing your legs up onto a couch or chair. The hips and knees are at 90degree angles and the head and back are relaxed. maintain this position for 20 or more minutes. If the discomfort persists, call your doctor of chiropractic for an evaluation and adjustment.

Chiropractic helps speed recovery after whiplash injuries

Dr Jared — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:51:00 +0000

After being in an auto accident many people seek care from their primary care medical doctor. They are often prescribed muscle relaxers, pain relievers, and physical therapy. Even though there is a large body of evidence based research that demonstrates that chiropractic care is the treatment of choice and helps speed recovery for neck injuries such as whiplash, some medical doctors still never mention it as a treatment option. The research clearly shows that chiropractic care is often more effective than other forms of care. In 1995, the Canadian Provence of Quebec commissioned a Task Force to study all the scientific research regarding the care of whiplash. After a 3 year review of 10,382 articles on neck injuries they determined that chiropractic adjustments were the gold standard treatment of choice. The other common treatments such as muscle relaxants, cervical pillows, acupuncture, ultrasound, diathermy were rejected as not having any scientific basis for their use. Only chiropractic with exercise were found to be significantly helpful in the recovery of whiplash. So, while it may be important to have a medical evaluation after an auto accident, it is also very important to have a thorough chiropractic evaluation as well, to allow for the best possible chance of recovery and return to normal.