Car Accident Doctor Gaithersburg, MD

After being in a car accident, you may not realize how vital a car accident doctor Gaithersburg, MD, recommends can be. The Pain Arthritis Relief Center is available for people who have been injured in car accidents. Our team will ensure that accident victims receive the necessary medical and provide any medical documentation patients need for filing an insurance claim. We know it can be tempting not to see a doctor after being in a car accident when it feels like you have not suffered from any injuries. However, because injuries do not always present immediately, you may let an injury worsen instead of healing. Want to see how we help patients who have been in a car accident? Call our team now to set up your initial appointment. 

Why see us after a car accident?

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland, car accident doctor can help you heal in a drug-free, non-surgical way when you come to see us after you have been in a car accident. After a car accident, many people suffer from constant pain or soreness. Their body requires some time to recover properly, but a victim may discover that their movement is still very much limited. Many people realize that days or weeks after their accident, their neck and back pain is only getting worse, and they wish they had not told the insurance company they were fine. When this is the case, you may have to pay for medical care out of pocket. Instead, call us as soon as possible after you have been in the accident. Chiropractic care has many benefits for car accident victims. Combined with other treatment options such as physical therapy, receiving chiropractic care can hasten your recovery time. 

What kinds of injuries can we help you with?

A car accident usually leaves the victim with injuries involving their necks and their backs. The force of the crash and subsequent trauma to the body typically causes extensive injuries, one of which is whiplash. Whiplash especially is one of the most common injuries after an accident. Whiplash occurs when your head jolts back and forth very quickly. You may not realize it, but it can lead to pain in your neck, shoulders, and down your back when this happens. The pain can linger for weeks, limiting your head and neck movements. Injuries and pain from a car accident can last for weeks to months, resulting in a severely limited range of motion, movement, and chronic pain. Fortunately, car accident victims can go to a chiropractor to treat their injuries. 

A chiropractor specializing in car accident injuries can help patients regain their mobility and relieve pain. Using chiropractic techniques or devices, they can develop a unique treatment plan designed to alleviate your pain, help your injuries heal faster, and restore your mobility. They will help you improve the functionality of your body so that you can engage in daily and recreational activities. We will want to give you an x-ray when you come into the office, get the details of the accident, and devise a treatment plan for you that does not involve medication. During a consultation, the chiropractor will speak with a patient about the types of injuries and symptoms they have. We want to get to the heart of the problem, not cover it up. Chiropractors focus on addressing the root cause of pain so that it does not resurface. 

Many car accident victims suffer from various short-term and long-term injuries, which can be mild to severe. Such injuries can take weeks or months to heal and recover from fully. A car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, Maryland, can help you finally move forward on your long road to recovery. Your car accident is just the tip of the iceberg, and after you emerge from the wreckage of a potentially life-threatening collision, you’ll quickly discover how much your life has changed. Even minor car crashes can cause serious injuries, and even minor injuries require care, dedication, and careful planning if you hope to make a full recovery.

Every car accident is different, and so is every car accident injury. When you realize the extent of your injuries, you may feel completely overwhelmed, lost, and even abandoned. Fortunately, at Pain Arthritis Relief Center, we’re dedicated to helping you overcome your injuries and getting your life back on track.

What are some common car accident injuries?

  • When it comes to car accidents, whiplash is one of the most common injuries. Your neck is not meant to move back and forth rapidly, and neither is your head or shoulders. Even in a minor fender bender, you may end up feeling a lingering soreness – or even a loss of motion. Fortunately, a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, MD, can help you regain range of motion and get past your pain.
  • Burns are always a potential source of serious injury, especially in car accidents. While we can all imagine a car crash turning into a huge fireball (thanks, Hollywood), the reality is usually much less dramatic. When we exit a damaged vehicle, there is always the chance of contacting exposed, hot metal, and this can cause severe burns.
  • Broken bones are still common in car accidents, even though more modern cars have increasingly high safety standards. Depending on the severity of your car accident, you may have a minor sprain or a severe break – all of which will require a helpful and attentive car accident doctor if you hope to make a strong recovery. Broken bones can seriously impede your ability to clock in for work, go to the store, and carry on with everyday life, so they require the best attention possible.
  • Brain injuries and concussions: Car accidents can cause apparent injuries, but they can also cause more subtle injuries. In some cases, a head injury isn’t evident until the symptoms appear, in which case you’ll need immediate medical attention. Head and brain injuries have the potential to become permanent disabilities, so if you suspect you experienced a concussion or other type of brain injury, you should seek out medical care as soon as possible.

Other injuries associated with a car accident that a chiropractor often deals with include: 

  • Bruises
  • Fractures
  • Broken bones
  • Head injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Leg injuries
  • Spinal injuries
  • Cuts or lacerations
  • Torn muscles, ligaments, or tendons (whiplash, etc.)

Whatever the nature of your car accident injury, you’ll need a helping hand to get back on your feet. Car accidents can seriously upend your life, and without a proper medical practitioner helping you through your rehabilitation, you may feel completely adrift. Fortunately, at the Pain Arthritis Relief Center, we know that you need all the help you can get.

At the Pain & Arthritis Relief Center, we get a lot of questions about car accident injuries. Here are seven of the most frequently asked questions your car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD, can answer.

What Kinds of Doctors Can Treat Car Accident Injuries?

When you’re looking for a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD, you should consider orthopedists, neurologists, physiatrists and chiropractors. Each specialty has its own approach to treating car accident injuries, from medication to surgery, from corticosteroid injections to spinal manipulation. It’s up to you what type of doctor you choose.

I’ve Been to the Hospital and Received Treatment. Do I Still Need To See My Chiropractor?

At the hospital, you likely received treatment for your symptoms, but not the underlying cause of those symptoms. You should see your chiropractor at the Pain & Arthritis Relief Center as soon as possible after your car accident to treat the actual injuries.

How Fast Do I Have To Be Going To Have Serious Injuries?

Even a low-speed fender bender can cause serious injuries. The car weighs a few thousand pounds, and a crash transfers a large amount of energy to your body, making it bend and twist in ways it’s not meant to. 

What Are the Most Common Spinal Injuries From Car Accidents?

A car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD, sees all kinds of injuries from car accidents. The two most common spinal injuries are whiplash and sciatica. Whiplash occurs when your head snaps back and forth, injuring the muscles and ligaments in your neck. Sciatica happens when a herniated disk compresses part of the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down your legs.

When Should I Think I Might Have Whiplash?

If your symptoms include severe pain in your neck, trouble moving your neck, headaches, jaw pain, dizziness, blurred vision, tinnitus and trouble thinking clearly, you may have whiplash. 

When Should I Think I Might Have Sciatica?

Sciatica symptoms include pain and tingling in your lower back, hips, buttocks, and legs. Your car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD, will be able to diagnose sciatica.

What if I Don’t Have Any Symptoms Right Away?

Even if you don’t have symptoms right away, you should still visit the Pain & Arthritis Relief Center as soon as possible. Many car accident injuries don’t show up until days or weeks later. You want to get ahead of the curve and find out sooner rather than later if you’ve sustained any injuries. 

Contact Pain Arthritis Relief Center today

When you contact the Pain Arthritis Relief Center, you’re taking the first steps to recover your mobility and your life. We’ll work closely with you to develop a personalized recovery plan – and we’ll be with you every step of the way. Reach out to the Pain Arthritis Relief Center today, and see how a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, MD, can help you move forward.

Recovering after a car accident

As a chiropractor who has years of experience treating patients knows, recovery from a car accident takes time. Depending on the severity of their injuries, many chiropractic sessions may be required over several weeks. Patients should not expect immediate results, especially if they sustain serious injuries or multiple fractures, or broken bones.  

People who have been in severe car accidents should also be careful of how they move around or the activities they take part in since specific movements can aggravate an injury or increase the recovery time. Patients should rest for extended periods and avoid moderate physical activity while they recover and attend chiropractic sessions. 

Who can I call after a car accident?

If you have recently been involved in a car accident, it may be beneficial to seek chiropractic services. Starting chiropractic treatments shortly after a car accident can help speed your recovery. There are treatment options available that will help restore your movement. Their natural and holistic approaches to treatments can provide patients with much-needed pain relief. Choose a chiropractor who has proven success treating car accident patients and is dedicated to providing you with personalized care. When you have been in a car accident, you want to make sure you begin healing at the source of the problem. Call our Gaithersburg, Maryland, car accident doctor from the Pain Arthritis Relief Center for more information on how we can help you.

8 Things You Should Know About Whiplash

1. Whiplash Is a Neck Injury

Whiplash is an injury to the muscles, nerves, discs and tendons in your neck. Motion that causes the neck to move forcibly forward and then back or the reverse causes it.

2. Rear-End Collisions Often Cause Whiplash

Sports injuries can sometimes cause whiplash, but the most common cause is rear-end automobile collisions. This is because when a car is struck from behind, it often causes occupants to rapidly be pushed forward and then pulled back. If you have been involved in a rear-end collision, you may want to consult with a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD.

3. There Are Several Common Symptoms

Many people who have whiplash experience similar symptoms:

  • Neck pain
  • Shoulder pain
  • Neck stiffness
  • Low back pain
  • Pain the arm or hand
  • Dizziness
  • Numbness in the arm or hand
  • Blurred vision
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Memory or concentration problems
  • Sleeplessness
  • Irritability
  • Tiredness

4. Whiplash Injuries May Not Show Up on X-Rays

Whiplash injuries often involve soft tissue damage that doesn’t show up on X-rays. In addition to a physical exam and medical history, a magnetic resonance imaging test or computed tomography scan may be necessary to detect soft-tissue damage.

5. There Are Multiple Treatment Options for Whiplash

A healthcare provider at The Pain Arthritis Relief Center may recommend a treatment program based on your age, medical history, overall health, the severity of your injury, tolerance and preferences. Treatment programs include one or more options:

  • Ice
  • Gentle, active movement
  • Cervical collar
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines
  • Physical therapy
  • Muscle relaxing medicines
  • Osteopathic manipulation

6. Whiplash Can Result in Chronic Pain

Most people who experience whiplash can recover in a few weeks or months. However, some people have pain that persists for several months or longer.

7. Whiplash Pain Sometimes Takes Time To Develop

Some people experience whiplash pain immediately after the injury occurs. However, it is common for it to take days, weeks or months for symptoms to develop. This is one reason why it may be a good idea to see a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD after an accident, even if you aren’t experiencing pain. 

8. You Can Take Steps To Prevent Whiplash

You can reduce your risk of whiplash from a rear-end collision by wearing your seatbelt correctly every time you travel in a vehicle. Additionally, adjust the headrest in your vehicle to the correct position and avoid driving or riding in a reclined position. Athletes should always wear protective equipment, such as padding and helmets, to reduce the risk of neck injuries while playing sports. If you think you may have a whiplash injury, a doctor at The Pain Arthritis Relief Center may be able to assist you.

 How to Work Effectively With Your Doctor After an Accident

An accident is one of the most traumatizing things you can experience, but your doctor or healthcare provider can make all the difference in your recovery. When working with your car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD, it’s important that you take every measure to keep them fully informed on how you’re doing in the aftermath — make sure you’re communicating effectively, take advantage of every opportunity to let your medical team help you and above all, be honest about your journey to recovery.

Communicate Everything You Know

Your car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD isn’t going to be able to help you to the best of their ability if they don’t know everything about your injuries. When consulting with the medical staff, try to relay everything you remember about the accident; where you were impacted in the car, if you were stricken by any stray materials and any other information you can recall goes a long way in pinpointing specific injuries. When sharing this information, your doctor might have you fill out a report detailing the incident, which can also be used to help file your claim. Try not to guess or fill in gaps on a report like this! Only include information you can clearly remember for the sake of consistency.

Don’t Miss Appointments

Missing appointments can negatively impact your recovery and your personal injury claim in two major ways: first, you’ll be missing critical treatment, which could make your recovery significantly longer and more difficult. Secondly, skipping appointments can severely reduce your chances of winning your personal injury case. Missing appointments might suggest to your insurance company that you aren’t committed to recovering or might not be as injured as you claim. Either way, make every effort to appear at all your scheduled medical and therapy appointments, and be sure to reschedule if you can’t. Also, don’t neglect to take any prescribed medications or stop treatment too early; if you’re experiencing severe side effects from treatment, let your doctor know and ask about alternatives.

Be Honest About Your Limitations

When your car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD asks how you’re doing, be transparent. 
They need to know what your actual pain level is, what symptoms you’re experiencing and if there are any activities or tasks you can’t engage in due to your injuries. Trying to “deal with it” or “tough it out” is only going to make your recovery painful and uncomfortable, so be very clear on the severity of your injuries. This also applies to your medical history — your medical team needs to accurately gauge your current health status, so tell them everything they need to know.

Working with a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg MD can be difficult and tedious, but your medical team is in place to help you heal after the collision. Be consistent and let your doctor do their job; answer any questions, be honest about how good or bad you feel and don’t be a no-show to your appointments. All of these steps can mean all the difference not only in ensuring a speedy recovery, but in helping you win your personal injury claim.

Have you experienced whiplash?

A car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, Maryland, can help you make a speedy recovery if you were recently in a car accident. There are many different types of car accidents, and they can all cause their own unique set of injuries. Of these injuries, one is by far the most common: Whiplash.

But what is whiplash, and what makes it so common in car accidents? And more importantly, how can a car accident doctor help you manage your whiplash? Read on to learn more about whiplash and how it can affect you.

What is whiplash?

Whiplash is best described by using an example. In this case, we’ll look at a simple rear-end collision – it doesn’t even need to happen at high speed. 

Imagine you’re sitting at a stoplight, patiently waiting for the light to change so you can carry on with your commute. Unfortunately, the driver behind you was distracted with their phone and didn’t see the red light until it was too late. You hear a screech from their tires and feel a sudden impact: You were just rear-ended.

You might not have even felt it at first, but when the other driver ran into your car, your head rapidly snapped back and forth, whipping your neck and spine one way and then the other. As the adrenaline from the car accident wears off, you collect the necessary information from the other driver and file a police report. You go through the typical motions of any car accident you might have seen or been involved in before.

But, later that night, you notice a lingering pain in your neck. It wasn’t there before, but it’s starting to make it hard to move. And the next day, you’re unable to move your neck more than a few degrees in either direction. It hurts a ton, and the pain is spreading down to your shoulders.

You’ve got whiplash. It’s time to see a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, MD.

Don’t wait – contact a car accident doctor immediately.

Whiplash occurs when your head moves violently back and forth, snapping your neck and spine backward and forwards like a whip. While whiplash may seem like a minor inconvenience after a fender bender, you should always get in touch with a qualified doctor as soon as possible. Left untreated, it can lead to chronic and unbearable pain in your neck, back, and shoulders. Whiplash can even cause headaches and a loss of mobility. 

Fortunately, after you experience a car accident, a medical professional from Pain Arthritis Relief Center can help you come up with a personalized recovery plan, so you can move on from your car accident and recover from your whiplash.

At the Pain Arthritis Relief Center, we’re committed to helping you heal from your car accident injury. If you’ve experienced whiplash because of a car accident, we will thoroughly examine your spine and neck to determine how much you’re able to move safely. From there, patients can expect total comprehensive care aimed at safely and effectively treating whiplash.

Get in touch with an experienced car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, MD, today, and see how Pain Arthritis Relief Center can help you recover.

Holistic Treatment for Injuries

As a victim, working with a car accident doctor in Gaithersburg, MD, can offer several benefits. Focusing on your recovery should be one of your top priorities, and our team at the Pain & Arthritis Relief Center is dedicated to helping you achieve a full recovery. Treating car accident injuries will require a plan aimed at meeting the specific needs of the patient and a provider who can take a holistic approach. Physical injuries can have a severe impact on the way that a person lives their daily life. When these injuries are the result of another person’s actions, it can be incredibly frustrating. With our assistance, you will receive premier treatments in addition to medical documentation that will play a key role should you choose to file a claim against the responsible party.  

Treating Car Accident Injuries

Following a car accident, seeking treatment is imperative to ensure that victims receive proper diagnosis and care for the sustained injuries. While the benefits of treatment should be obvious, taking immediate action will be critical in mitigating the likelihood of more invasive treatments down the road. Additionally, care from our team can help build your insurance claim should you choose to seek damages. Our team has the experience and training to treat a range of injuries, including spinal injuries, soft tissue damage, fractured bones, and more. 

The Impact Injuries Have on Victims

Our Gaithersburg, Maryland, car accident doctor has seen the devastating impact car accidents can have on victims. Not only will they be managing pain and physical injuries, but the accident may have emotionally impacted them as well, for example: 

  • Physical pain that affects the ability to conduct daily tasks
  • Limited range of motion
  • Emotional trauma that requires treatment from a mental health professional
  • A financial impact due to medical expenses and lost wages from missed time away from work

As a victim, you will be left facing these repercussions, but we can help you take control of your injuries by offering you treatment options tailored to you specifically. 

Taking a Holistic Approach 

While many healthcare professionals will only focus on your symptoms when administering treatment, our team will provide a holistic approach. Essentially, we will treat both your symptoms and get to the root of the problem. As a result, patients have the opportunity to make a full recovery. Our clinic offers a variety of modalities for patients following a car accident, including:

  • Physical Therapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Chiropractic Care
  • Spinal Cord Stimulation
  • Stem Cell/Platelet Therapies
  • Reflexive Pattern Therapy

When you meet with our team, we will carefully evaluate your condition and develop a specified treatment plan.

Critical Documentation for Your Accident

Typically when an accident victim has suffered injuries due to another driver on the road, they may choose to pursue taking legal action for their losses. Accidents can be costly, and you have every right to seek compensation. Know that this will require proving that you were harmed and the extent of your injuries. If necessary, our team will collaborate with you to provide you with documentation that outlines your injuries and the treatments you are receiving so that you can help prove your claim. 

To begin working towards your recovery, don’t hesitate to call the Pain & Arthritis Relief Center. Our experienced and dedicated Gaithersburg, MD, car accident doctor, is ready to help you achieve your treatment objectives.