A car accident can do some pretty sneaky damage to your body that doesn’t always show up on the surface. Still, one of the biggest problems is headaches, which is something pretty much everyone I know who’s had an accident recently has experienced – the dull throb at the base of your skull or the temples that just won’t go away, even after you’ve woken up. Well, don’t worry, you’re not alone – lots of people end up with these pesky headaches after a car crash – a professional at Tropea Chiropractic Inc in Sunnyvale can help you sort out the problem naturally. They don’t just fix the headache while you’re seeing them, either – they can also prevent further ones from showing up, even when you aren’t in the middle of the therapy.
So, in today’s blog, we’ll be taking a look at what causes headaches after you’ve been in a car, how chiropractic care can help you, when you should actually get a visit from a doctor, whether muscle tension in your neck is what’s to blame and the best treatments for migraines that keep popping up after an accident. So, stick with us for a bit, and we’ll go into all the details later.
What causes headaches after a car accident?
Right after a crash, your body gets hit with all these sudden forces – the jolt, the shock, the stress. And then you’ve got that dreaded headache to show for it – and there are loads of reasons why that’s probably the case.
- Whiplash and Neck Trauma
When you get rear-ended or side-swiped, your head is yanked forward and back and side to side in a blur – it’s a pretty intense stretch or strain on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your neck. According to Mayo Clinic, headaches tend to start right at the base of the skull, and other research has found that about 8% of people report having cervicogenic headaches, which originate in the neck, about six good weeks after a car crash.
(Also read from our previous blogs: 5 Signs You May Have Whiplash and Need Chiropractic Care)
- Cervical Spine Misalignment and Joint Irritation
Your neck has numerous small joints and ligaments, and when a crash occurs, it can cause those joints to go out of alignment or become irritated; additionally, your nerves can get squeezed or stretched. And that can set off pain that radiates right up into your head – in some cases, the blood flow and nerve signals can get disrupted too.
- Muscle Tension and Spasms
After a crash, your neck and shoulder muscles tend to get all tight up, either because your body is trying to protect you or as a result of getting damaged. And all that muscle tension? It can start pulling on the base of your skull or irritating your nerves, and before long, you’re left with this awful tension headache that feels like a tight band around your head.
- Soft-tissue Injury and Inflammation
Tissues like ligaments and tendons can suffer a nasty sprain or micro-tear – and that’s just the start of the problem, as it sets off a chain reaction of inflammation. Over time, that inflamed area starts to send pain messages to all the wrong places – irritating pain-sensitive bits and even causing headaches that seem to come out of nowhere.
- Post-Concussive or Brain Injury Component
If a crash was bad enough to give your head a serious jolt – whether it was a direct hit or just a wild ride – there’s a good chance you’ve got a mild traumatic brain injury on your hands. That adds another whole layer of headache causes to the mix.
On top of all that, other factors come into play – things like slouching into a bad posture because you’re trying to protect yourself, the stress of the wreck, emotional trauma that you’re still dealing with, sleep that goes from bad to worse and even taking too many painkillers.
How can chiropractic care relieve headaches from whiplash?
If your headaches are coming from a neck injury caused by a car crash, chiropractic care might be worth looking into. You might wonder how that could help – so here’s the short version: chiropractors focus on restoring the spine and nervous system to optimal function. That means restoring joint movement and alignment. They can also work on the soft tissues around the neck to ease muscle spasms, tightness, and inflammation, and even show you some stretches to help your neck and shoulders relax.
To be honest, though, chiropractors are not just about poking and prodding and sending you on your way. They can also teach you some exercises to help you recover in the long term, provide you with tips on posture and show you how to achieve the right ergonomics at home or work – all to ensure your head and neck don’t have to work overtime. In other words, good chiropractors are about helping you get back to normal – not just treating the symptoms. They’ll also give you the tools you need to manage any future strain and live with relief.
When should I see a doctor for post-accident headaches?
If you notice or are experiencing any of the following, it’s a good idea to visit Tropea Chiropractic Inc. in Sunnyvale for a quick check-up. We can help sort out what’s going on and get you feeling better.
- If you have a headache that’s way out of the ordinary – super intense or one that comes on suddenly and just won’t quit – you should probably book an appointment with us promptly.
- If you’ve had a headache that just won’t go away after a few days (or is actually getting worse), we’d take a look and provide relief.
- If you feel you have any unusual sensations in your limbs, such as numbness or tingling in your arms, hands, legs, or a general weakness in your limbs. Also, be aware of potential vision issues, particularly if you experience double vision, blurry vision, dizziness, vertigo, slurred speech, or general confusion. We can probably help you figure out what’s going on.
- If you’ve got a head injury or concussion going on, don’t sit around – we’ve got a few questions for you. Do you feel queasy all the time, are you feeling disoriented, sensitive to light or sound? Yeah – probably best to get checked out by a professional.
- Neck injuries can be pretty nasty. If you’re experiencing severe pain, trouble moving your head, or numbness or tingling, please contact us.
- If you’re watching your symptoms get worse over time, or you’ve tried all the normal stuff to get better and just can’t seem to shake it, then we should probably take a look.
- If you’ve recently gone through an automobile trauma and have obvious damage or just generally feel ‘off’ – Tropea Chiropractic Inc. is here to listen and help.
- And lastly, if you notice any of the red flag symptoms like high fever, chills, neck stiffness, or if you find yourself experiencing seizures, don’t wait and reach out to a medical expert right away.
Bottom Line
At Tropea Chiropractic Inc., we ensure that every patient receives thorough, personalised care and attention. We understand that automobile accidents can leave a long-lasting trauma on you, both mentally and physically. So, whether or not you feel uneasy post-accident, it is in your best interest that you get in touch with us to provide relief and prevent the pain from coming back.