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Stiff Neck After an Accident? You Need to See a Chiropractor

A stiff neck is usually nothing to be alarmed over. It can happen from a bad night of sleep or even creep in after a stressful workday. But, neck pain that appears as a result of a car accident is a different story. Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg shares when it’s necessary to see a chiropractor for this injury. 

Before you schedule an appointment, you may want to try several at-home remedies that may help relieve neck pain. You can try using a cold pack to reduce swelling in the inflamed area. When icing, a good estimate of time is to ice 40 minutes on, 20 minutes off and then repeat. Check that your pillow is firm enough to support your neck. Test out light neck stretches by tensing your neck muscles, looking up and down, and then side to side. This exercise may help loosen stiff muscles but be careful not to overextend yourself or you may cause more harm than good.

While these techniques may temporarily relieve pain, it’s critical to know when to see a chiropractor for a sustained neck injury. If you are experiencing long-standing neck pain, cannot look left or right without severe pain, or rely on pain medication to treat the pain, it is time to schedule an appointment. Seek assistance immediately if you have any numbness or tingling that began shortly after an accident.

A chiropractor can create a personalized treatment plan that will restore motion to stiff joints. By conducting an extensive examination, our team will explore symptoms, history of neck pain, and types of movement that exacerbate the injury. A consultation may also include a physical exam or X-rays to determine pain points. Afterward, a detailed treatment plan may include adjustments, neck exercises, and/or physiotherapy that will restore you to premium health.

If your neck pain is officially a pain in the neck, call Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg at (727) 722-8103 or send a message to speak with our team. We strive to improve the overall health, happiness, and well-being of our community.

Can You Get a Concussion Without Hitting Your Head?

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is caused by an external force that causes the brain to twist or shake inside the skull resulting in a change to the victim’s brain chemistry and potentially impairing brain function.

A strong blow to the body can easily result in a concussion too, even if the heat itself is not impacted directly.

Our accident care team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills explores common ways in which a concussion can occur without hitting your head, and what you should know about healing from this injury.

Common Causes of Concussions Without Hitting Your Head

Our bodies can sustain impacts, blows, and jolts in numerous circumstances, any of which can cause a concussion.

These might include:

• Motor vehicle accidents, especially front-end or rear-end collisions
• Falls from heights or onto hard surfaces
• High impact sports
• Explosions or concussive blasts
• Physical assaults that involve hitting, shaking, or pushing

Concussions from Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when a person’s neck is thrown back-and-forth during an accident. Since the violent back and forth movement causes the head and the brain to experience the same thing, concussions usually occur alongside whiplash.

Concussion and whiplash symptoms are often similar, so make sure to get an evaluation from a doctor to determine if you have a concussion or not.

Signs and Symptoms of Concussions

The most common symptom that you might have after a concussion is a headache. But other symptoms might include:

• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Nausea
• Confusion or brain fog
• Loss of consciousness
• Mood swings
• Dizziness
• Altered sleep
• Blurred vision
• Unexplained drowsiness

These symptoms can appear within a few minutes after sustaining an injury, even if you haven’t hit your head. Sometimes, these symptoms might not manifest for days or weeks after the incident too.

To be sure that your symptoms are the result of a concussion, you should speak with a doctor at Impact Medical Zephyrhills so we can determine if you are suffering from a concussion or another underlying issue.

Bottom line: If you think you may have a concussion—even if you didn’t hit your head—seek a medical examination immediately.

Testing for a Concussion

One of the best ways to know if you have a concussion is to explain to your doctor what happened before you started to experience symptoms.

Your doctor may test you for neurological issues including:

• Eye movement
• Reaction to light
• Coordination
• Memory

Often an MRI or CT scan is not necessary for a concussion as these tests do not show that a concussion occurred. These imaging tests might be used if your concussion is severe or your doctor worries that you have swelling or bleeding in the brain.

Treating Concussions

It is important to seek treatment for concussions because untreated concussions can have lifelong concussions. Here are some common ways to treat a concussion:

• Take over-the-counter NSAIDs like ibuprofen or aspirin according to the directions unless otherwise instructed by a doctor
• Drink ample water as people who are adequately hydrated are better equipped to heal
• Get rest for a least the first three days after an injury, try to rest as much as possible
• Avoid drinking alcohol
• Minimize visual stimulation from TVs, phones, and other devices
• Chiropractic therapy can help manage the symptoms of a concussion

Concussion Treatment

If you have a concussion, it is imperative to get treatment as quickly as possible. Our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills is equipped to offer comprehensive post-accident treatment, chiropractic care, and pain therapy for those suffering from a concussion following an accident.

Call us today to schedule an appointment with Impact Medical Zephyrhills; (813) 706-5156!

Hip Pain After a Car Accident? Here’s How We Can Help

The head, neck, and back are usually the parts of the body that come to mind regarding collisions, but the hip is just as vulnerable to severe damage. The hip area can become the victim of multiple injuries, some of which being more extreme than others but with all of them leading to some level of pain or discomfort. The experts at Impact Medical Port Richey are here to help you identify hip injuries that can occur after a car accident and what you can do to treat them.

Common Hip Injuries

There are many things that can happen to your hip area after enduring a direct impact. Bone fractures, muscle tears, and so forth can all be either painful or uncomfortable in the midst of your otherwise ordinary day.

Hip Labral Tears

Your labrum is the soft tissue covering the hip socket which is capable of tearing as the result of an accident. When this tears, it can hinder your ability to move around in that spot and may induce pain.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis involves the tendons and ligaments and can be associated with pain and discomfort. As you can imagine, this unfortunate occurrence can happen in the hip in response to trauma.

Hip Joint Dislocation

In some cases, the ball joint in your hip could slip out of the femur and become dislocated. This causes the upper part of the leg bone to slide out of place. In a domino effect, the dislocation can lead to an interruption in your blood flow and cause your bone tissue to die out in the process. This is referred to in the medical field as avascular necrosis.

Bursitis

Your bursa is the fluid sac located between your bones and muscles. During an accident, your bursa can take a direct hit and become inflamed. This incident is known as bursitis.

Hip Sprains

If the ligaments in your hip become torn or overstretched, it can lead to unpleasant sprains in the affected area.

Regardless of the exact injury, you could experience these general symptoms:

• Lost range of motion
• Decreased muscle strength
• Difficulty walking
• Bruises and swelling
• Soreness and tenderness

Treatments for Hip Pain

No matter what kind of symptoms and injuries you’re experiencing, physical therapy is guaranteed to help. PT is designed to guide your body slowly and carefully into performing regular movements until it regains the same range of motion prior to the accident. The exercises involved can also help you regain muscle strength so everyday tasks don’t feel as tedious or exhausting. Visiting a physical therapist for an examination soon after an accident is also recommended for identifying possible injuries since some symptoms don’t show immediately. These hidden injuries can become worse if not treated in a timely manner.

The Best Treatment for Hip Injuries in Port Richey

If you’re experiencing hip pain after an accident, make an appointment with Impact Medical Port Richey ASAP! We can give you a proper examination and put you on a personalized treatment plan so you can feel good as new. Give us a call at (727) 848-3377 to get started.

Here’s How MUA Can Help Treat a Frozen Shoulder

Suffering from a frozen shoulder? This painful condition can limit your range of motion and have a significant impact on your everyday life. Luckily, there is a non-surgical intervention that effectively treats this painful problem—Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA). Read on to learn how this simple, efficient treatment can reduce pain, improve range of motion, and get you on the road to recovery from a frozen shoulder.

What Is a Frozen Shoulder?

Known in medical terms as adhesive capsulitis, a frozen shoulder is a common yet painful condition that’s characterized by pain and stiffness in the shoulder joint. It occurs when tissues in the shoulder joint thicken and tighten, developing scar tissue that limits the space around the shoulder joint and prevents it from rotating properly. Often, the pain from this condition gets worse over time—usually between one and three years after the initial injury.

People who have had a stroke, mastectomy, or other condition that’s caused the arm to be immobilized are at greater risk of frozen shoulder. Others at risk include people between the ages of 40 and 60, as well as those with diabetes or thyroid disorders. Luckily, frozen shoulder is a condition that can improve with the right treatment. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor if you suspect you’re suffering from a frozen shoulder.

Treatment for Frozen Shoulder

If you’ve been diagnosed with a frozen shoulder, getting treatment from professional physical therapists is your best course of action. While traditional treatments include numbing medications injected into the joint, range-of-motion exercise, and surgery (in extreme cases), there’s a better way to deal with a frozen shoulder—MUA.

MUA, or Manipulation Under Anesthesia, is a highly effective way to treat a frozen shoulder. This treatment, performed under anesthesia, includes mobilization, stretching, and traction exercises.

An MUA procedure is performed with the patient sedated. The surgeon stretches and tears the tight shoulder joint capsule, causing the scar tissue to stretch or tear. As the tightness is released, it allows for an increased range of motion. In short, it frees the shoulder through simple manipulation without a single incision. After the procedure, immediate rehabilitation is necessary to prevent the condition from recurring, while reducing pain and restoring full range of motion.

Recovery includes taking pain medication to reduce pain and following a prescribed exercise regimen to restore range of motion. Within four to 6 weeks, most patients see a dramatic decrease in pain and a significant improvement in terms of mobility.

Start Your Recovery from a Frozen Shoulder Today

A frozen shoulder is painful and can be debilitating, but early treatment helps keep the condition from worsening. Don’t wait to seek treatment for your frozen shoulder—contact Impact Medical Group of Sarasota today. Give us a call at (941) 222-1157 to schedule your consultation and say goodbye to pain and stiffness for good!