5 Common Auto Accident Injuries

An auto accident is a scary event—whether it’s serious or not. Surprisingly, injuries can even arise after a mild auto accident, such as a fender bender. Thus, it pays to know what the most common auto accident injuries are so that if you’re ever in one, you know what to watch out for.

Below, we outline the top 5 most common auto accident injuries in Tampa, as well as briefly how chiropractic care and physical therapy can help.

What Are The Most Common Auto Accident Injuries?

The five most common auto accident injuries include whiplash, knee trauma, herniated disc, concussion, and spinal cord damage—all of which can be helped via chiropractic care and physical therapy. But first, let’s start with the basics. How do these injuries happen? What should you know?

1. Whiplash

A whiplash injury happens due to forceful back-and-forth movement of the neck. Most commonly, it occurs due to rear-end car accidents. And initially, you might not even know you’ve experienced whiplash. In fact, it can take days for this injury to reveal itself.

Whiplash symptoms usually include:

Neck stiffness
Neck pain
Reduced range of motion
Headaches
Dizziness
Fatigue
Tingling and numbness in your arms

Treatment for whiplash typically revolves around pain management and exercises prescribed by your physical therapist.

2. Knee Trauma

The leg remains bent while driving or when sitting in a car. This means that the knee is susceptible to injury since an auto accident with significant force can drive the knee forward, causing trauma to the patella.

This can result in patella fractures, ligament injury, a displaced kneecap, and more. Usually, these injuries result in varying degrees of knee pain and an inability to bend your knee. In many cases, surgery and rest may be initially required. Afterward, physical therapy and chiropractic care can offer viable auto accident injury rehabilitation options, helping you get back on your feet.

3. Herniated Disc

A herniated disc also happens due to a forceful auto accident. The force may cause one of your vertebrae to get pushed out of place, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerves. Post-accident, a chiropractor can help alleviate pain and issues caused by this injury by helping re-align your spine into its natural position.

4. Concussion

Head injuries are serious events, and concussions are no exception. A concussion may happen during a car accident if you hit your head on any part of the car.

Concussion symptoms may include:

Headaches
Vomiting
Nausea
Fatigue
Ringing in your ears
Blurry vision
Difficulty concentrating
Amnesia
Dizziness

In some cases, ongoing physical therapy may be recommended for you to manage your concussion symptoms and make a full recovery.

5. Spinal Cord Damage

Trauma to any part of the spinal cord poses a serious injury. It can lead to paralysis, nerve pain, and other issues. This is also why, on the scene of a serious auto accident, the paramedics may instruct you not to move until they’ve cleared you of spinal or head injuries. Movement can sometimes make the injury worse, as well as result in permanent paralysis.

Luckily, chiropractic care can help you recover after a spinal cord injury, as well as eliminate pain and help you manage an ongoing injury.

Book Your Appointment Today!

At Tampa Spine and Wellness team, we pride ourselves on putting every patient first and being Tampa’s leading auto injury treatment clinic. We offer flexible appointment times, including walk-in appointments, to help serve you in the best way possible. If you require car accident rehabilitation and recovery, book your appointment with our expert team today. Let’s get you back to the activities you know and love!