Chiropractic Health & Wellness Blog

How Do I Know If I Need a Chiropractor After An Auto Accident?

 

Here at Lyn Lake Chiropractic, we’ve had a number of Minneapolis chiropractic patients who have been involved in some type of auto accident, ranging from minor fender benders to crashes that have resulted in major physical trauma, at some point or another in their lives. Unfortunately, this really comes as no major surprise since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that “motor vehicle crashes Quick read more or view full article are the leading cause of injury and death in the U.S.” 

However, the one question that is asked quite often is how to know if you need a chiropractor after being involved in an auto accident. So, let’s examine that more in-depth now.

When you’re in a car crash, sometimes it is immediately evident that something is wrong. For instance, you may notice that there is pain present in various areas of your body (such as back pain or neck pain associated with whiplash), which is a clear sign that something just isn’t right.

Or, you might begin experiencing headaches or dizziness, start to have difficulty sleeping, or are feeling just overall irritable. In these cases, even if there are no physical marks present, making the decision to seek medical treatment via chiropractic care is typically an easier one. Obviously, something is going on internally and it’s best to find out what it is so it can be treated effectively and the pain and other possible symptoms minimized.

Yet, when there is no pain present, and no other signs at all that you may be injured externally or internally, you are less inclined to get yourself checked out and assume that you’re 100% okay. While this may seem logical, the reality is that you could have actually sustained an injury in the accident and don’t even realize it.

The reason this can happen is that sometimes pain and other symptoms don’t come to the surface for days, weeks, months, or even years to come. Furthermore, not seeing a doctor because of a lack of symptoms can greatly impact your ability to overcome the injury at a later point in time as some studies have confirmed that delayed treatment can negatively affect positive outcome capabilities.

Now, some people believe that minor accidents (like the ones that don’t leave any marks on the vehicles or involve super-slow speeds) aren’t capable of creating injury that requires chiropractic treatment. But one study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found otherwise. 

In this case, the researcher found “a lack of relationship between occupant injury, vehicle speed and/or damage.” Specifically, even when crash speeds were as low as 2.5 miles per hour, physical injury could result. So, it doesn’t matter how minor the auto accident is, you may have an injury that needs medical attention to resolve it effectively.

In short, any time that you’re involved in a car accident, no matter how minor it may seem and how good you feel afterward, you still want to follow up with your Uptown Minneapolis chiropractors to ensure that you’re okay and that your spinal discs and vertebrae are still in their proper and healthy place. With a quick exam, Drs. Schreifels, Eckstein, and Jones will be able to tell what injury, if any, exists or if further testing needs to be conducted to make sure you weren’t hurt in any way.

We even have a 24-hour answering service which allows you to call no matter when you have an auto accident and get your appointment scheduled to come in. Remember…the sooner you get in to see us at Lyn Lake Chiropractic in Minneapolis, Minnesota after a car crash, the sooner you will start to heal and the better your chances of recovery!

 

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Lyn Lake Chiropractic Launches New Website to Better Serve Minneapolis, MN


Lyn Lake Chiropractic announces the launch of their new Minneapolis, MN Website. With improved functionality, additional information and more interactive features, they hope to better serve their patients and provide them with the resources they need to make informed decisions regarding their health and wellness.


Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) February 3, 2011

Lyn Lake Chiropractic has launched a new Website to better serve the Minneapolis, MN community and their patients. In addition to providing helpful information on common chiropractic injuries and treatments, the updated site features a regularly maintained blog, FAQ section and links to resourceful articles.

For over ten years, the chiropractors at Lyn Lake have been committed to providing breakthrough pain treatment. Their goal is to relieve pain and discomfort and help patients maintain a comfortable, productive and healthy lifestyle. From chronic back and neck pain, to whiplash and auto accident Quick read more or view full article injuries, they utilize cutting edge technology and techniques to help patients achieve maximum results.

“We have always strived to stay up to date with the best technology and practices in our industry,” says Dr. Kevin Schreifels, Doctor of Chiropractic and owner of Lyn Lake Chiropractic. “We see the new site as a way for us to better explain some of the common sources of pain that people experience as well as answer many of the questions they may have before they visit the clinic.”


In addition to being informative, http://www.lynlakechiropractic.com now offers links to their Twitter, Facebook and YouTube profiles. “We want to provide our patients with as much information as possible, in the format that they prefer.

Whether they want to post on our Facebook page, or ask us a question through our Online form, we believe that it’s important to provide a means for a two-way interaction,” says Schreifels. “We would love the opportunity to treat the people who visit the site. But ultimately, we want to provide the community with a resource to help them make informed decisions about their health."

Lyn Lake Chiropractic clinic has a talented team of experienced chiropractors, massage therapists and personal trainers. They also offer a breadth of other services such as chiropractic for children and the elderly, chiropractic for pregnant women, treatments for headaches, running injuries, sports injuries, and other special add-on services such as nutritional counseling, lifestyle advice, and massage therapy.

To schedule your free consultation call the clinic’s 24-hour answering service at (612) 879-8000 or visit Lyn Lake Chiropractic at 2937 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis MN. The clinic also accepts walk-ins and “just driving by” appointments.

For more information about Lyn Lake Chiropractic visit http://www.lynlakechiropractic.com or take a virtual tour of the clinic at http://www.youtube.com/user/lynlakechiro. Read Less

Auto Injuries:

According to the Insurance Research Council, nearly 1/3 of all claimants injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA's) seek treatment from doctors of chiropractic. This is an impressive number given that the National Safety Council (NSC) has determined there to be more than 12 million MVA's annually involving
more than 20 million vehicles.

The reason individuals like yourself choose chiropractic care for treatment of injuries sustained in MVA's is simple - chiropractic care is exceptional in the treatment of soft tissue injuries, especially of the spine. Since the most common injuries associated with MVA's are sprains and strains of the spinal muscles and ligaments, it's only natural that chiropractic be the treatment of choice.
Many studies have also found individuals injured in MVA's prefer chiropractic care for the treatment of their injuries. One such study evaluated 190 whiplash injury victims and found those who received chiropractic care reported treatment satisfaction of 100%.

1.Balla Quick read more or view full article JI, Iansek R. Headaches arising from disorders of the cervical spine. In: Hopkins A, ed. Headache: Problems in Diagnosis and Management. London: WB Saunders; 1988.

Minimum Accident Speed to Cause Injury:

Minimum Accident Speed to Cause Injury:Studies involving live humans have demonstrated that a motor vehicle accident of as little as 5 mph can induce cervical (neck) injury. However, other studies have shown that cars can often withstand crashes of 10 mph or more without sustaining damage.
Motor vehicle accidents can result in a number of very diverse and complex injuries and symptoms. This is due to the diversity of factors involved with the each MVA - i.e. vectors of the collision, size of the vehicles involved in collision, preexisting health conditions of victims, age of victims, size and strength of victims, etc.

Whiplash:

The Forwards-flexion and/or backwards-extension of the neck essentially
results in a soft tissue sprain/strain injury to the structures within the cervical
and upper thoracic spinal regions. When the initial impact occurs and the head
is forced in either excessive flexion or excessive extension, protective
reflexes cause the muscles of the neck to forcefully contract which "whips" the
head back in the opposite direction. The resulting injury often leads to
numerous symptoms, many of which are confusing and poorly understood.
Symptoms following a "whiplash" accident include:

neck pain, tenderness, achiness and stiffness

cervical muscle spasms

tenderness and nodules in superficial cervical musculature

cervical reduced range of motion

post-traumatic headaches (including migraine and muscle-tension headaches)

shoulder and interscapular pain

hand and finger pain, numbness and tingling

blurred vision

difficulty swallowing/feeling of lump in throat

dizziness and balance problems

lightheadedness

post-traumatic depression and cognitive problems

Headaches:

Headaches are the second most common complaint following motor vehicle accidents (MVA's). Like the many other MVA symptoms, headache may not be present immediately following the accident and may take several weeks and often months to eventually surface.

Most post-traumatic headaches are thought to originate from the soft tissues and facet joints of the neck as well as injury or irritation to the nerves of the upper cervical spine.

Back Pain:

In addition to whiplash/neck pain and injuries, the mid and lower back are also frequently injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVA's).

Mid Back Pain:

The mid back or thoracic spine is most commonly injured as a result of the asymmetry of most seat belt designs. As the torso moves forward the seat belt locks and the torso is forced to stop at the end of the shoulder strap. Because the shoulder strap crosses only one shoulder (usually the left), the side without a strap (usually right) is able to travel forward further which results in a forward flexing and twisting injury to the mid back.

Lower Back Pain:

The lumbar spine is also frequently injured, but the mechanism differs from the above. As the torso and pelvis move forward the pelvis is stopped by the lap belt. However, the torso continues to move forward which producing a shearing force in the lumbar spine. These injuries often result in lumbar disc injuries.

Chiropractic care is a safe, natural, noninvasive, and addresses the cause of the symptoms. Our treatments also include active patient participation, and in some cases, lifestyle modifications. While we do focus on eliminating pain early on, we realize that in addition to pain - optimal tissue healing, restoration of normal function, and prevention of future recurrences and reinjuries - are equally important.

Our treatments at Lyn Lake Chiropractic are highlighted by our use of many gentle and highly effective spinal adjustive techniques. When used properly, these techniques allow us to safely and effectively reduce pain levels, reduce muscles spasms, eliminate inflammation, restore normal joint motion and biomechanics, prevent or minimize degenerative processes, and minimize the likelihood of future recurrences.

We also incorporate many natural and safe adjunctive therapies into our treatment plan to further assist in the healing process. Some common adjunctive therapies include ice therapy, heat therapy, physical therapies like therapeutic ultrasound and muscle stimulation, spinal traction, soft tissue mobilization, spinal exercises and stretches, and nutritional supplementation.

Don't Delay! Call Today!

If you or someone you know has been involved in an accident, call (or have them call) our office immediately. The quicker you receive the care you need, the quicker your injuries will heal and the faster you can get on with your life. Don't delay, call today! Lyn Lake Chiropractic 612-879-8000 Read Less

Minneapolis Chiropractor Provides Pain Relief for Whiplash & Other; Car Accident Injuries

WEBWIRE – Monday, October 26, 2009

Citizens of Minnesota no longer have to live with the pain of whiplash symptoms. Lyn Lake Chiropractic, a state-of-the-art Minneapolis Chiropractic clinic, has over the years developed highly-specialized knowledge and experience in healing patients of whiplash.

With a staff of professional and experienced Minneapolis chiropractors led by Dr. Kevin Schreifels and Dr. Jill Field, Lyn Lake Chiropractic operates on the notion that life is motion and that you cannot let things like whiplash injuries hinder you from going ahead and doing what you love.

Whiplash injuries, which are commonly caused by car accidents, are different from other types of injuries. Whiplash symptoms usually take some time before they begin to manifest themselves and when they do appear they usually take the form of neck pain, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain, headaches, upper back and shoulder pain, lower back Quick read more or view full article pain, and fatigue.

Chiropractic is known to be a very effective long-term treatment for this unique type of injury. The chiropractors at Lyn Lake use a special combination of manual spinal manipulation, massage therapy, trigger point therapy, exercise rehabilitation, and other soft tissue rehabilitation modalities to restore the patient's health and mobility.

Ben, a Certified Personal Trainer, relates his experience for whiplash treatment at Lyn Lake: "They gave me the full treatment at Lyn Lake Chiropractic for my whiplash auto injury. They gave me adjustments, massage, ultrasound, laser treatment, traction, and a great rehab program which helped my body finally returned to me as it was before my car accident."

Ben was not only happy with the high quality of chiropractic treatment he received from Lyn Lake, he was also thankful for the way the clinic's staff treated him personally, saying, "The amount of energy the staff, Dr Kevin Schreifels, and Dr Jill Field gave me was outstanding. The loft-like clinic is great and had a caring atmosphere. They made me feel like a family member, they cared about how I was doing and if I was getting better."

Lyn Lake also offers other services, such as chiropractic for children and the elderly, chiropractic for pregnant women, treatments for headaches, running injuries, sports injuries, and other special add-on services such as nutritional counseling, lifestyle advice, and massage therapy.

Lyn Lake Chiropractic is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and the Official Chiropractors of the Twin Cities Marathon.

To schedule a free consultation, call the clinic's 24-hour answering service at (612)879-8000 or visit Lyn Lake Chiropractic at 2937 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis MN. The clinic also accepts walk-ins and "just driving by" appointments.

For more information about Lyn Lake Chiropractic visit http://www.lynlakechiropractic.com  Read Less

Neck Pain, whiplash and Chiropractic: Conservative Care of Cervical Pain, Injury and treatment at Lyn Lake Chiropractic

Your neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. Incredibly, the cervical spine supports the full weight of your head, which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.

The neck's susceptibility to injury is due in part to biomechanics. Activities and events that affect cervical biomechanics include extended sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and everyday wear and tear. Neck pain can be very bothersome, and it can have a variety of causes.

Here are some of the most typical causes of neck pain:

Injury and whiplash due to Auto Accident Injury: A sudden forced movement Quick read more or view full article of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting "rebound" in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. The sudden "whipping" motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Muscles react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots. Car accidents are the most common cause of whiplash.

Growing Older: Degenerative disorders such as osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disc disease directly affect the spine.
    

    Osteoarthritis, a common joint disorder, causes progressive deterioration of cartilage. The body reacts by forming bone spurs that affect joint motion.
    

    Spinal stenosis causes the small nerve passageways in the vertebrae to narrow, compressing and trapping nerve roots. Stenosis may cause neck, shoulder, and arm pain, as well as numbness, when these nerves are unable to function normally.
    

    Degenerative disc disease can cause reduction in the elasticity and height of intervertebral discs. Over time, a disc may bulge or herniate, causing tingling, numbness, and pain that runs into the arm.

Daily Life: Poor posture, obesity, and weak abdominal muscles often disrupt spinal balance, causing the neck to bend forward to compensate. Stress and emotional tension can cause muscles to tighten and contract, resulting in pain and stiffness. Postural stress can contribute to chronic neck pain with symptoms extending into the upper back and the arms.
Chiropractic Care of Neck Pain?During your visit, Lyn Lake Chiropractic will perform exams to locate the source of your pain and will ask you questions about your current symptoms and remedies you may have already tried. For example:
    

    When did the pain start?
    

    What have you done for your neck pain?
    

    Does the pain radiate or travel to other parts of your body?
    

    Does anything reduce the pain or make it worse?

Chiropractors at Lyn Lake Chiropractic  in Minneapolis MN will also do physical and neurological exams. In the physical exam, your doctor will observe your posture, range of motion, and physical condition, noting movement that causes pain. Your doctor will feel your spine, note its curvature and alignment, and feel for muscle spasm. A check of your shoulder area is also in order. During the neurological exam, your doctor will test your reflexes, muscle strength, other nerve changes, and pain spread.

In some instances, the chiropractor might order tests to help diagnose your condition. Our Digital
x-rays can show narrowed disc space, fractures, bone spurs, or arthritis. A computerized axial tomography scan (a CT or CAT scan) or a magnetic resonance imaging test (an MRI) can show bulging discs and herniations. If nerve damage is suspected, your doctor may order a special test called electromyography (an EMG) to measure how quickly your nerves respond.

Lyn Lake Chiropractic are conservative care doctors; their scope of practice does not include the use of drugs or surgery. If your chiropractor diagnoses a condition outside of this conservative scope, such as a neck fracture or an indication of an organic disease, we will refer you to the appropriate medical physician or specialist. He or she may also ask for permission to inform your family physician of the care you are receiving to ensure that your chiropractic care and medical care are properly coordinated.

Neck Adjustments:  A neck adjustment (also known as a cervical manipulation) is a precise procedure applied to the joints of the neck, usually by hand. A neck adjustment works to improve the mobility of the spine and to restore range of motion; it can also increase movement of the adjoining muscles. Patients typically notice an improved ability to turn and tilt the head, and a reduction of pain, soreness, and stiffness.

Of course, our Lyn Lake Chiropractic chiropractors will develop a program of care that may combine more than one type of treatment, depending on your personal needs. In addition to manipulation, the treatment plan may include mobilization, massage or rehabilitative exercises, or something else.

Research Supporting Chiropractic Care:  ?One of the most recent reviews of scientific literature found evidence that patients with chronic neck pain enrolled in clinical trials reported significant improvement following chiropractic spinal manipulation.

As part of the literature review, published in the March/April 2007 issue of the Journal of?Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the researchers reviewed nine previously published trials and found "high-quality evidence" that patients with chronic neck pain showed significant pain-level improvements following spinal manipulation. No trial group was reported as having remained unchanged, and all groups showed positive changes up to 12 weeks post-treatment. Read Less

SPORTS MEDICINE

Lyn Lake Chiropractic cares for professional athletes, those striving
for personal goals, and dedicated fans. Dr. Schreifels and Dr. Field are
avid marathon runners who understand the need for chiropractic care
as it relates to staying healthy in the quest to achieve personal goals.
They provide comprehensive care for the patient's entire body - knees,
hips, elbows, back - to find the pain's cause and to let the patient return
to enjoying their life. They also specialize in auto injuries,
bulging/herniated discs, headaches, low back pain, and sciatica.

They are the Official Chiropractors of the Medtronic Twin Cities
Marathon, work with Team USA Minnesota Athletes, and provide
care and injury prevention seminars to numerous running groups
around the Twin Cities.

Staff includes certified personal trainers and massage therapists to
assist in rehab and injury prevention. Modalities utilized include
ultrasound, cold laser therapy, EMS, and Game Ready Quick read more or view full article Icing system. Read Less