Archives: Injuries

You should always see a car accident doctor within the first few days of a motor vehicle collision. This is especially important if you experience pain or symptoms in the chest. These could indicate damage to vital organs, a potentially life-threatening situation. An injury that is initially minor could worsen if it does not receive treatment right away. It is also important to see an auto injury doctor so that you can use medical records as evidence to support an insurance claim or lawsuit.

What Causes Chest Injuries in a Car Accident?

Two basic types of chest injuries are penetrating injuries and blunt force. A penetrating injury occurs when a foreign object tears through the skin and often into the tissues below. A penetrating injury is possible during a car accident, e.g., the car's windows could break, and the glass could embed itself in your skin.

However, a car accident is more likely to result in blunt force trauma, which occurs when the damage is something other than penetration by a sharp object. Seventy percent of all blunt force chest trauma results from motor vehicle accidents. It commonly occurs because of the steering wheel striking your chest in the accident.

Seat belts and airbags are safety devices meant to reduce the risk of death or debilitating injury in an auto collision. However, although they frequently save lives, they can also cause chest trauma when they deploy or lock during a crash. A car injury doctor can examine your wounds and determine whether the trauma is blunt or penetrating in nature.

What Types of Chest Injuries Can Occur in a Car Accident?

A blunt force trauma to the chest in a car accident can result in several potentially dangerous conditions.

1. Internal Bleeding

The force of impact can cause damage to the blood vessels inside the chest. This can lead to internal bleeding, a very dangerous condition that can take a while to recognize. You may experience fatigue, lightheadedness, or thirst due to internal bleeding of the chest. You may also feel unusually cold or notice your complexion is paler than normal.

2. Broken Ribs

Your ribs provide support and protection to your internal organs. However, blunt chest trauma may be sufficient to fracture them. Broken ribs are painful and can make breathing difficult. A flail chest is a particularly dangerous type of rib fracture. This occurs when the bone fragment breaks away completely and is only connected by the soft tissues surrounding it.

3. Organ Injury

Organ injuries can occur directly due to the force of the impact or indirectly due to damage from a broken rib. Injuries to the heart and lungs are the most serious. A broken rib or penetration by a foreign object can puncture the lung. This can allow air to escape into the chest cavity and cause a pneumothorax. The buildup of air in the chest cavity compresses the lung, making it more difficult to breathe. Flail chest can result in a pulmonary contusion. This prevents oxygen exchange by causing the alveoli in the lungs to fill up with blood. Chest trauma can also cause blood to fill up space around the heart. This is known as a "Pericardial Tamponade" and prevents the heart from expanding fully, reducing the pulse.

Other organs are also vulnerable to injury due to chest trauma in a car accident. The spleen stores white blood cells and recycle old red blood cells. It is susceptible to rupture due to trauma from a car accident. The liver is a vital organ that can suffer a laceration in a car accident due to chest trauma. Either of these injuries can cause serious internal bleeding.

How Does a Car Accident Doctor Diagnose Chest Injuries?

It is necessary to establish the seriousness of the injury and determine whether it involves bone, soft tissue, or both. In addition to a physical examination, the doctor may perform imaging studies such as X-rays as these can demonstrate bone fractures and lung collapse. If internal bleeding is suspected, the doctor can inject contrast dye into the blood vessels. The dye shows up on X-rays, giving cross-sectional images of the chest cavity and showing the contours of veins and arteries.

CityWide Injury is a chiropractic clinic in Houston focusing primarily on injuries from car accidents. Our many services include diagnosing and determining the extent of your injuries and referring you to the appropriate medical specialist as needed. Find out more about how we can help with common car accident injuries.

 

 

Visit a Car Accident Doctor for Your Chest Injuries | City Wide Injury & Accident – Houston, TX

Soft tissue injuries are injuries that occur to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These are the most common types of injuries individuals sustain in car accidents. Soft tissue damage can come in several forms, including strains, sprains, whiplash, and contusion. The symptoms of STIs vary based on the severity of the injury, but individuals can experience swelling, bruising, loss of motion, and severe pain. If you sustain an STI in a car accident, a car accident doctor can help correct the issue and restore your health and comfort.

Types of STIs

Soft tissue injuries typically occur when a muscle, ligament, or tendon is stretched beyond its natural limit. They can also occur anywhere in the body, including the neck, back, legs, and arms. The most common types of soft tissue damage an auto injurys doctor sees in car accident patients are as follows:

• Strains: Strains occur when a person overuses or overstretches a muscle, or when a muscle is subject to a sudden force, such as in a car accident.
• Contusions: Contusions are the result of the direct impact of an object or blunt force. A contusion may be nothing more than a bruise, or it may be the damage to the muscle fibers under the skin.
• Whiplash: Whiplash is the most common, post-accident soft tissue injury. It can cause minor discomfort to severe pain and often needs to be treated by a car injury doctor.
• Bursitis: Bursitis occurs when the padding between the joints, muscles, tendons, or the “bursa sac” tears, swells, or otherwise becomes irritated following a car accident.
• Tendinitis: Tendinitis refers to the inflammation or irritation of the tendons. Though most commonly caused by overstretching and overuse, it can develop as the result of direct and sudden force.

Most STIs are invisible to the naked eye. Yet, they can cause discomfort and pain, and they can interfere with a person’s ability to go to work or perform daily activities. For this reason, if you have a soft tissue injury, you should seek care from a qualified car accident doctor.

Treating Soft Tissue Injuries

Many people who sustain STIs in car accidents find that a mix of physical therapy, at-home treatment, and chiropractic care work to restore function and improve comfort. Chiropractic care from an experienced auto injury doctor, however, is one of the most effective ways to treat soft tissue damage. Of course, you should request an MRI, as most STIs are invisible. The images from an MRI can help guide your chiropractic care as well as bolster a possible auto injury claim.

In addition to visiting the chiropractor, there are certain things you can do at home to speed up your treatment. Below are a few that your car injury doctor may recommend.

Ice Compression

By icing the afflicted area several times a day and in 20-minute intervals, you can help keep the swelling down. Avoid putting ice directly on your skin but rather, use a towel or, better yet, buy an ice pack designed for this purpose.

Rest

Swelling and inflammation is your body’s way of saying to take it easy. Inflammation occurs to prevent movement of the hurt body part. If you hurt, take a break. The resting duration depends on the extent of your injury, but rest can help speed healing.

Elevation

While you’re resting and icing that hurt knee, ankle, or arm, elevate it. By lifting the hurt body part above your heart, you can ensure better blood flow. This can prevent swelling, as it keeps blood from flooding the injured area.

Compression

Compression bandages may be necessary if the affected area begins to lose blood. You can find compression bandages at your local drug store. Making the extra trip can go a long way toward improving your overall strength.

Soft Tissue Injuries Do Not Always Heal On Their Own

Following a minor fender bender or slight car accident, many people attempt to “wait out the pain.” They assume the headache will resolve itself with time, rest, and some aspirin. When neck or back pain is present, car accident victims may use ice and heat to try to reduce the swelling until the injury heals itself. Not seeking the care of an auto injury doctor may prove to be a huge mistake, though.

STIs can cause long-term discomfort and pain. Patients may find that an STI may require the need for future medical care or surgery, while others find that their pain interferes with their ability to work. Some might also pursue compensation through a personal injury claim. However, the success of these claims often comes down to medical evidence, and whether the patient sought treatment post-accident. Whether you plan to pursue a car accident claim or not, it’s important to your physical and financial health that you take advantage of available treatment options. Get an MRI, seek chiropractic care, and, if necessary, retain a qualified legal professional.

Pair At-Home Treatment With Chiropractic Care

Though your car accident doctor may recommend and even encourage at-home treatment, it is important to note that you should not forego in-office care. Chiropractors have long been recognized as soft tissue injury experts, as they have the specialized education and training necessary to encourage the healing of delicate body parts, such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

By pairing chiropractic care with at-home care and, in more extreme cases, physical therapy, you can speed up the healing process and restore function quickly. For many people, it’s not just about reducing pain but rather about restoring their overall quality of life.

Your Go-To Car Injury Doctor

At CityWide Injury, your speedy and comfortable recovery is our number one concern. For advanced and affordable care, schedule your free after-accident evaluation with our car accident doctor today.

Contact us at 713-782-0082 for an appointment right away!

Sometimes, when you've sustained an injury in a car accident, pain doesn't show up immediately. You may think you're OK, but discomfort can set in hours or even days later. Head pain is one of the most common pains associated with car accidents. Any car accident doctor will tell you that car accident headaches are common, but that doesn't mean they're acceptable. Persistent headaches after an accident could indicate that something is seriously wrong. You should never ignore car accident headaches. If you're dealing with this type of pain, talk to an auto injury doctor

Citywide Injury & Accident Services

Citywide Injury provides the following auto injury chiropractic services to clients.

Car Accident Doctors

Our car accident doctors can check you for minor or major injuries after a car accident. Ideally, you should seek our services within 72 hours of the incident. Even if your pain may seem insignificant, the pain can worsen over time. Minor injuries may become more serious if you don't treat them promptly. A car injury doctor can help:

• Determine the severity of your injuries.
• Treat various medical conditions.
• Provide you with a customized treatment plan.
• Offer an in-depth examination, complete with X-rays and comprehensive analysis.
• Provide legal advice for filing insurance claims.
• Refer you to a medical specialist when necessary.
• Offer noninvasive and effective treatment options.
• Fill out and maintain documentation regarding your injuries.
• Provide you with documentation to show your employer if you need time off work due to your injury.

We can get you into our office immediately if you need an emergency appointment. We make same-day appointments when the situation warrants it.

Attorney Referrals

It's hard to know what steps to take after a car accident, but if you take the wrong course of action, you could be in a bad situation. It's essential to hire an experienced car accident attorney to protect yourself. We frequently make attorney referrals. We can help connect you with an experienced law firm that will handle your case.

Over the years, we've worked hard to develop quality relationships with reputable personal injury lawyers. If your car accident injuries are not your fault, an attorney can help you fight for fairness. Your attorney will help make sure you file your insurance claim correctly to cover your medical bills. We'll match you up with an attorney who will put your mind at ease after a car accident.

Attorney Partner

In addition to helping clients who become injured in car accidents, we also partner with attorneys. If you represent someone who has injuries from a car accident, we want to work with you. Keep in mind that the sooner your clients see a doctor after their accident, the easier it will be to make a case for them.

When you partner with us, we provide your clients with the treatment they need with help from our in-house chiropractors and network of medical professionals. Even if your client isn't yet experiencing noticeable symptoms, it's wise to seek medical attention.

Handling Car Accident Headaches

Car accidents can cause a variety of headaches. You should never ignore headaches and other pain related to the accident since it is often an indicator of a more serious underlying problem. Although the headache may seem like the primary issue, a skilled doctor can uncover its true source and help treat the underlying problem rather than the symptom, which is the headache. Some types of car accident headaches that you may experience include:

• Concussion headaches: A concussion occurs when your brain strikes the walls of your skull due to severe outside forces. This impact leaves a bruise on the brain, which can cause headaches accompanied by light and noise sensitivity, vomiting, dizziness, ringing in the ears, confusion, or memory loss.
• Whiplash headaches: A car accident may give you whiplash as your head jolts forward suddenly. This action stretches the muscles and tissues in your neck painfully, resulting in a headache. Dizziness, fatigue, disturbances in your vision, and trouble sleeping often accompany this headache.
• Fracture headaches: If your skull gets fractured during the accident, you may experience generalized headaches or headaches at the point of injury. These pains often come with nausea, confusion, slurred speech, and a stiff neck.
• Nerve headaches: You have nerves all along your spine, neck, and the back of your scalp. If you suffer from pinched, inflamed, otherwise injured nerves, you may experience a headache with shooting or throbbing pain.
• Cervicogenic headaches: An injury to the ligaments, joints, arteries, and nerves in the upper neck and back of the head often cause this headache. A reduced range of motion often accompanies these headaches.
• Muscle strain headaches: If you strain muscles in your neck, back, or shoulders, this strain can translate to headache pain. You will typically experience pain at the site of the strain as well and may have swelling, tenderness, and a reduced range of motion.

When a car accident headache occurs days or weeks after the incident, it's a post-traumatic headache. This type of headache is quite common but easily overlooked.

Have you been in a car accident? In that case, it's essential to monitor your symptoms after the event. Consult a doctor after the accident and at a follow-up appointment if you're experiencing pain.

Other Injuries We Handle

In addition to headaches, we also help with other injuries associated with car accidents. We can simultaneously address your head pain as well as:

• Knee injuries.
• Back injuries.
• Shoulder injuries.
• Neck trauma.

Remember, symptoms of injuries don't always occur right after an accident. It's very common for symptoms to arise days, weeks, or even months afterward.

The Car Accident Doctors You Can Trust

Are you looking for car accident doctors you can trust to put your needs first after a collision? You've come to the right place. At CityWide Injury & Accident, we do everything to ensure our clients receive the care they need. In addition to helping you feel better, we'll also do whatever we can to match you up with a supportive attorney. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.

A herniated disc can drastically reduce the overall quality of your life. If you were involved in a car accident, one of the first steps you should take following the incident is to schedule an appointment with a car accident doctor. The doctor should perform a thorough assessment of your major systems, including your musculoskeletal system. If the doctor suspects you have a herniated disc, he or she may order additional tests and recommend an adequate course of treatment.

Conservative Care

In most cases, herniated discs resolve on their own and with conventional treatment.

Rest

A car injury doctor may initially recommend you get plenty of rest and take it easy for a couple of days. The doctor may advise against going to work, lifting heavy objects, or engaging in strenuous exercise. Depending on the degree of your injury, the doctor may recommend that you remain in bed for a couple of days and use alternating ice and heat to help reduce the swelling and relieve the pain.

Over-the-Counter Pain Medications

If you are in significant pain, your auto injury doctor may prescribe you OTC pain relievers. Those include ibuprofen such as Motrin IB and Advil; acetaminophen, such as Tylenol; and naproxen sodium, such as Aleve. If the pain does not subside within ten days, however, your doctor may either switch you to something stronger or recommend a different course of treatment.

Muscle Relaxers

Some patients develop nerve damage as a result of a herniated disc. Nerve damage can cause the muscles in the back to spasm, which can be both disconcerting and uncomfortable. If you experience muscle spasming following a car accident, talk to your doctor about getting a muscle relaxant prescribed to you. A low-dose relaxant can ease the spasms in your back and the pain that comes with them.

Physical Therapy

Your car accident doctor may prescribe physical therapy in conjunction with rest and over-the-counter medications. The goal of physical therapy is to improve the symptoms of a herniated disc and increase the flexibility, strength, and endurance of your core.

If your doctor recommends physical therapy, you will be put on a strict and highly personalized exercise plan. You don’t want to overexert yourself and therefore do more harm than good, but you do want to increase your core strength a little bit at a time. Depending on how severe your injury is, your exercise program may include aerobic exercise — such as stationary biking and walking to build endurance, improve circulation, and improve flexibility. Other types of therapy your auto injury doctor may recommend are the following:

• Massage
• Ultrasound therapy
• Ice and heat therapy
• Electrical muscle stimulation

Invasive Procedures

Unfortunately, some herniated disc cases do not respond well to conservative treatment. In these instances, spinal cord injections or surgery may be necessary.

Spinal Cord Injections

If rest, medication, physical therapy, or a combination of all three are ineffective at treating your condition, your doctor may recommend spinal cord injections. Spinal cord injections are the last treatment option before your physician resorts to surgery.

For a herniated disc, your doctor will inject a cortisone-like medication into the area around your spinal nerve. Many people refer to this type of injection as an “epidural.” The goal of the injection is to reduce the inflammation and swelling around your nerve roots, decrease the pain from the herniated disc, and allow for increased mobility.

Your doctor will take extra precautions to ensure he or she injects the epidural at the right spot and does not hit your nerve roots. Additional precautions may include using a CT scan or X-ray to guide the procedure, and you may need more than one injection to relieve your pain.

Surgery

Surgery is a last-resort option for patients who live with herniated discs. Your doctor may recommend surgery if you do not respond to any forms of conservative treatment and if your symptoms grow progressively worse. Your doctor may also recommend surgery if he or she sees signs of progressive neurologic decline. There are four types of surgeries your doctor may recommend for your back:

• Diskectomy: This procedure involves your surgeon removing the damaged disc entirely to relieve the pressure on your nerves. There are two ways a surgeon may perform this procedure. The first is through an open cut in your back or neck, also known as a Diskectomy. The second is through a small incision where the surgeon inserts a narrow camera to guide the removal of the disc, known as a Microdiscectomy.
• Lumbar Laminotomy: Sometimes, removing the herniated disc is not enough. Your surgeon may need to remove the lamina (a small piece of bone) from your vertebra. The lamina forms a protective shield over your spinal cord, and your surgeon may need to remove all or part of it to access the herniated disc. Removing the lamina may also reduce pressure on your nerves and eliminate the symptoms of sciatica. If a lumbar laminotomy is necessary, the surgeon will perform it at the same time as the diskectomy.
• Artificial Disc Surgery: If the herniated disc is lower in your back, your doctor may recommend you for artificial disc surgery. Artificial disc surgery entails replacing the damaged disc with a metal or plastic one. Though not many people are candidates for this surgery, if you are, it could mean you enjoy increased stability and flexibility post-surgery.
• Spinal Fusion: After your diskectomy or laminotomy, your surgeon may stabilize your spine by fusing the vertebrae on the side of the disc. The goal of a spinal fusion is to prevent your bones from moving during post-surgery and from ensuring continued comfort long into the future.

Work With an Attorney Who Cares

At CityWide Injury & Accident, we know just how important it is for car accident victims to get evaluated within 72 hours following an accident. If you don’t have a car accident doctor, our team is more than happy to connect you with one. Fill out our online form and request an appointment with a reputable doctor who understands the personal injury legal system. We understand the urgency of your injury and will be in contact with you within 15 minutes of hitting “Submit.” If you have any questions, please call us at 713-782-0082.

Most new vehicles have innovative features that drastically reduce the risk of fatality in the event of a car accident. However, they can’t eliminate all the effects of physics. Even with the best safety features, you can still suffer debilitating knee and back injuries.

Of course, you’re likely to be sore and bruised after a collision, even without serious physical trauma. Additionally, some conditions aren’t immediately apparent. To understand the degreeof your injuries, you should see a car accident doctor after any collision. Knee and back injuries left untreated can lead to chronic problems, so you must receive treatment as soon as possible.

If you have back or knee pain that requires a physician’s care, what can you expect? Here are the most common injuries and their treatments.

Common Car Accident Injuries

Seat belts are life-saving, as they keep passengers from becoming projectiles. However, their most significant benefit can also inadvertently lead to injury; even as the strap keeps you in place, your body still has momentum. The body’s instinct is to try to stop itself, which can cause muscle strain. You might be familiar with one of the most common types of muscle strain called Whiplash, which affects the neck.

In addition, your extremities that aren’t restrained by seatbelts can come in contact with other parts of your vehicle. This is one of the leading causes of knee injuries, as the force of a forward collision may send your knee into the dashboard.

Knee Injuries

A car injury doctor is used to seeing particular conditions as a consequence of vehicle collisions. This is especially vulnerable since the knee is so complex with many small interconnected parts that facilitate movement. The following are the most common conditions that affect the knee:

• Meniscus Injury: This affects the knees’ discs, which provide stability and cushioning, allowing you to walk comfortably. When these discs are damaged, your joints experience friction that can be painful and interfere with ease of movement.
• Medial Collateral Ligament Injury: Also known as an MCL injury, this condition describes damage to one of the ligaments that connect the femur and tibia.
• Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: This ligament also connects the femur and tibia, and damage to it is referred to as a PCL injury. This condition is also colloquially referred to as “dashboard knee,” as it’s often seen in drivers and front-seat passengers.
• Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: ACL injuries are some of the more severe conditions and usually

Back Injuries

Back injuries are incredibly serious, as they can affect the spine and nervous system. Damage to this area of the body can result in chronic pain and even paralysis. A few common back conditions associated with car accidents include the following:

• Spinal Cord Injuries: Even minor damage to the spinal cord can cause a lot of problems. During impact, the spinal cord can be severed or bruised, and in some cases, patients even get paralyzed.
• Spinal Stenosis: This condition describes the narrowing of the spinal canal, which is usually caused by aging. However, a traumatic impact can bring on symptoms before they would typically manifest.
• Spondylolisthesis: The spinal cord and nerves are at risk of compression when vertebrae are knocked out of place, which only a severe impact can do. Stress fractures may also cause this condition.
• Herniated Disc: The spine is comprised of alternating vertebrae, which are made of bone and discs that are made of fibrous tissue. Discs cushion vertebrae and prevent friction but can be pushed or bumped out of alignment. You may have heard this condition described as a slipped, ruptured, or bulging disc. A herniated disc can put pressure on nerves and affect spinal alignment, leading to a variety of issues.
• Spinal Fracture: The severity of a spinal fracture varies depending on the location and intensity of the break. If your seat belt failed, you might experience what’s known as a Compression Fracture, which is a crack along the vertebrae.
• Whiplash: Symptoms of whiplash don’t always appear immediately, which leads many people to believe they escaped an accident unscathed, only to experience pain days or weeks later. This condition occurs when neck tissues, muscles, and ligaments are torn or overextended.
• Sciatica: The sciatic nerve connects the legs and spine and can be affected by herniated discs.
• Lumbar Sprain: Sprains describe torn or overextended ligaments and can happen in many places in the body. A lumbar sprain occurs in the lumbar region, also known as the lower back.

Warning Signs You May Have a Knee or Back Injury

If you suspect you’ve sustained a knee or back injury, what are the symptoms you should look out for? You should be concerned if you notice any of the following:

• Swelling and redness
• Change in your range of motion
• Pain in the affected area
• Grinding or locking knees
• Bruising
• Fever or chills
• Instability or weakness in the affected leg
• Tingling or tenderness
• Popping or ripping in the knee
• Stiffness in the affected area
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Numbness
• Bladder issues

Effective Treatment Options

An auto injury doctor can help you recover with a personal treatment plan. More severe conditions may require surgery, with subsequent physical therapy and care. Mild physical trauma can be alleviated with pain management and changes to your daily activities:

• Avoiding heavy lifting
• Using back support when sitting
• Exercising as advised by your doctor
• Massaging the affected area
• Applying ice to reduce swelling, followed by heat to relax muscles and increase blood flow
• Resting as appropriate to prevent further damage

Expert Medical Care

At CityWide Injury, we specialize in caring for patients with auto accident injuries. We understand that recovery can be a long road, and we’re with you every step of the way. Delaying treatment can have serious consequences, so if you’ve recently been in an accident, you should visit a specialist as soon as possible. You deserve the best medical care, and we’re here to deliver. To find out more or to schedule an appointment, give us a call at 713-782-0082 or contact us online.

Shoulder Pain Injury

The CDC estimates that in a single year, more than 2.5 million Americans suffer crash injuries that result in a trip to the emergency room. Of these people, 200,000 remain hospitalized to recover from their injuries, leading to a collective loss of 1 million workdays. Death, severe body injuries, and disabilities are the worst consequences a car accident doctor witnesses regularly. Because of this, many people may think that shoulder pain is not that serious.

However, if you have pain and it is interfering with your quality of life, it's essential to consult with an auto injury doctor. Delaying medical treatment may cause the injury to get worse, while also impacting any personal injury claim you may later decide to make to cover medical bills.

Causes of Shoulder Injuries

The shoulder is held in place by a complex structure made up of ligaments, tendons, and muscles. When this structure suffers an injury during the impact of a motor crash, it can lead to ongoing pain and even loss of the function of that arm. Here are some potential shoulder injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes:

Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior Tear: There is a bicep tendon that joins with the cartilage found at the end of the arm. If there is a tear in this tendon, people experience a sensation of grinding bones, hear popping sounds, experience pain, and have limited movement.

Rotator Cuff Tendinitis: Sudden impact to the rotator cuff can lead to the development of tendinitis. Patients experience stiffness and pain when trying to lift their arms over their heads, such as when getting dressed or opening cupboards.

Rotator Cuff Tear: If the complex muscles protecting the shoulder joints and facilitating movement get torn, you may experience a dull ache. Over time, this may grow into severe pain, which restricts your arm movements.

Dislocated Shoulder: The arm's ball and socket are what help facilitate a wide range of motion. If they become separated from each other, you may have numbness and a tingling sensation in the arm. This can grow into weakness and muscle spasms.

Symptoms of Delayed Shoulder Injury

Shoulder injuries are often not immediately detectable at the scene of a crash. Many people may believe they have walked away unscathed and refuse medical attention. Even those who receive medical care may decide not to take X-rays as they feel they have not broken anything.

Because of this, shoulder injuries can go undetected and untreated for days or even months before they become unbearable, and the person looks for an auto injury doctor. Here are some of the general symptoms you may encounter when this happens, aside from those described earlier:

• Difficulty sleeping
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Back pain
• Neck pain

Reasons Behind Delaying Treatment

Despite efforts to reform the health care system, there are still millions of Americans who don't have health coverage. Many can't afford the high deductibles or copays they must meet before the insurance company begins to pay its share. Because of this, many Americans suffer from treatable injuries or even die from them. Others rack up large amounts of debt, trying to cover the bills while awaiting a settlement.

If you don't have sufficient medical coverage, you may feel inclined to keep putting off treatment. Maybe you have a demanding job and simply cannot find the time. However, if you don't take care of your body, it can't take care of you. This could potentially lead to even more days away from work if the issue is not addressed.

Risks of Not Treating Shoulder Injuries

The biggest concern people have about delaying treatment has to live with pain for the rest of their lives. Some patients seek other ways to adjust to the pain, such as prescription and illicit drugs. Both of these can have terrible legal and medical consequences.

If you are currently pursuing a personal injury claim, medical records are necessary to document the economic damages behind your claim. Documenting the extent of your treatment further helps justify any claims related to pain and suffering resulting from medical injuries. Without these records, it's almost impossible to prove your case.

There is also the chance that the shoulder pain is tied to another injury. You may have a minor spinal or neck injury that needs treatment. The body is a complex, organic machine, and pain in one part of the body doesn't mean that the same place of injury.

Finally, if the injury remains untreated, and you continue to put stress on your shoulder for work, your injury could become a long-term disability. This could make it even more difficult for you not just to hold a steady job, but pursue the things you love.

Potential Treatment Options

Every shoulder injury is different, so you need a customized treatment plan based on your specific needs. Our car injury doctor will take into consideration what kind of work you do, what your hobbies are, how often you need to drive, and anything else that may put additional stress on your shoulder.

In some instances, minor procedures are all that's necessary. This may range from heat and cold therapy to acupuncture. In other cases, you may need to consider local and steroid injections and ultrasound therapy. If the injury is severe, our doctors may recommend surgery.

Why Work With a Car Accident Doctor

Working with a doctor who has experience in handling injuries caused explicitly by motor vehicle crashes can make the process a lot easier. This is important if you need documents to file a personal injury claim. At CityWide Injury, our doctors go a step further to work side by side with your attorney throughout the case.

A car injury doctor also better understands what caused the injury and how to create a customized treatment plan to help you regain pain-free control of your arm. We start our process with an after-accident evaluation and then move forward with a plan centered on healing and rehabilitation. Make an appointment today to get the process started.

Contact us at 713-782-0082 for an appointment right away!

Banish Pain and Benefit With a Visit to a Car Accident Physician

Here at CityWide Injury & Accident, we understand that the aftermath of a car wreck can be devastating on both the mind and body. Not only can these accidents cause severe physical pain, but you might also be facing legal and insurance questions that may worry you and slow your recovery. A visit to one of our offices to see a car accident doctor can help you find relief for your injuries and answers to your questions about legal assistance, insurance coverage, and billing.

We Can Make a Difference

Injuries that result from a car wreck can cause severe spinal and neck pain that can linger for months afterward if not treated correctly. Whiplash and other trauma may result in a variety of problems, including:

• Numbness
• A limited range of motion in the neck
• Shooting or radiating pain down the extremities

Any of these issues can have a negative impact on your daily tasks. Our knowledgeable doctors can make a difference in your pain levels by providing you as much relief as possible and perform comprehensive scans and exams in the aftermath of your accident. We can also answer any questions you might have about ongoing treatment, how long it might take for you to recover, and what you can expect from our services. When you know what to expect from our pain management team, you may feel less anxious about your future health.

Specialized Treatment

Not all injuries might be evident in the aftermath of a car wreck, especially in the case of back or neck trauma. In some cases, pain or numbness may start to appear hours or even days afterward, leaving you discomfort and unable to work or care for your family. Visiting an auto injury doctor at one of our offices can help you recover more effectively, as our physicians have a wide range of experience in treating car accident injuries. This focus and knowledge, along with chiropractic treatments and state-of-the-art medical technology, may help you feel better faster.

Prompt Service

If you are experiencing delayed pain as a result of a car accident, the thought of sitting in an emergency room waiting area for hours might make you walk away and try at-home methods of treatment. However, most injuries won’t heal properly without the aid of a physician. Trying to ignore or treat the pain on your own may just prolong the discomfort. At CityWide Injury & Accident, we understand the importance of being seen promptly to have your pain addressed, especially if it is affecting your ability to work.

When you call our clinic for an appointment, we do our best to get you in to see a car accident doctor as soon as possible. In some cases, we may even be able to schedule your appointment for that same day. Our prompt service can help you understand what is causing your pain quickly and provide you with the best treatment option that suit your needs. We know that time can be an important factor in treating car accident injuries, so our doctors always strive to see you as soon as possible, especially if the accident was recent.

Legal Support and Assistance

When you are injured in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence or reckless driving, you may need legal support to build and win a personal injury lawsuit. We partner with a wide range of attorneys and can help you find one that suits your individual needs, depending on the nature of your injuries.

Finding a lawyer on your own while you are injured and attempting to recover can be difficult. Therefore, we work to partner you with a lawyer that can evaluate your injuries and place a value on your case so you can recover medical costs and other actions. Having a lawyer on your side also provides you with peace of mind when it comes to completing all the necessary paperwork and documentation that often comes with a court case. Receiving the assistance of a lawyer allows you more time to heal and minimizes the time spent on trying to organize your lawsuit.

Shared Documentation With Your Lawyer

When you make an appointment with a car injury doctor at our facility, he or she will perform an in-depth exam that will likely include X-rays and other scans that can help locate the source of your pain. Once the exams are complete, we will share the results with your attorney if you plan to file a personal injury case. This may help streamline some processes that could be necessary to your lawsuit, making it simpler for you to file.

Chiropractic Care

Car accident injuries can be unique in the way that they may include a higher risk for neck and back trauma. For example, whiplash can be quite common, as can back pain resulting from a rear-end collision. These injuries can cause pain that lasts for months, but chiropractic care may help provide you with some relief. We offer several different treatment plans, including newer techniques that may not be available at other facilities. Spinal manipulation can help relieve chronic pain by realigning discs that the accident forced out of position. We can also send copies of ongoing care reports to your attorney, who may be able to use them to bolster any existing lawsuits you have filed and reduce the burden of proof.

We can also provide you with ongoing chiropractic appointments that may ease any chronic pain resulting from your car wreck. Backaches and tension in the neck can become problematic after an accident. Consistent chiropractic adjustments at our facility may help improve your range of motion and reduce chronic pain. Chiropractic care may also alleviate the need for over-the-counter pain relievers that could upset your stomach or cause damage to the stomach lining if overused.

Getting injured in a car accident can have a far-reaching effect on your life and of those around you. However, we at CityWide Injury & Accident can help with nearly every aspect of recovery and legal support. Call us today at 713-782-0082 to book an appointment with an auto injury doctor and begin your journey back to physical wellness.

Contact us at 713-782-0082 for an appointment right away!