Car accidents can result in more injury than many of us realize, even relatively low speed collisions. Often, due to stress hormones and the body’s natural pain mechanisms, people don’t feel the full extent of their injuries for 24-48 hours. That is why you often hear how important it is to check checked out by a physician after an accident, even if you think you are OK right afterwards.
Whiplash is a common injury that people may not realize they have at first, with symptoms getting worse after a day or two, or sometimes they only realize they have it when pain hasn’t gone away after a few days or weeks as they expected. Prompt evaluation and proper treatment may help you avoid unnecessary suffering, and possibly prevent an injury from becoming a chronic condition.
One common treatment for whiplash and other injuries is massage therapy. Massage therapy can provides the following benefits after an auto accident:
- Stimulate tissue healing (through improved circulation and decreased swelling)
- Reduce muscle spasms and associated pain and stiffness
- Improve scar tissue (by softening stiff tissues to allow blood supply and nutrients back to the affected area)
Increase joint flexibility (by stretching the skeletal muscles and tissue over and around your joints)- Lower blood pressure
- Reduce stress and anxiety, including increasing serotonin levels
- Retrain soft tissue to function properly
- Release endorphins (the happy hormones!)
Depending on your injury, and where you are at in the healing process, your physician may consider Swedish relaxation massage, deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, or manual traction.
Absolute Wellness Center in Eugene, OR provides sports medicine, chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, physical rehabilitation, acupuncture, therapeutic massage, and more. These services, including our massage therapy program, may help you recover from injuries sustained in an auto accident. To learn more, please give us a call at 541-484-5777.