Chiropractic care has come to stay and is the go-to solution for many people suffering from auto accident injuries and other forms of pain. It’s a popular option because not many people are comfortable taking pain medications after a car crash, even after sustaining neck injuries and other specific injuries that lead to severe pain.
However, maintaining the benefits of the procedure long after the treatment has been a common concern among chiropractic patients and people considering the physical therapy method.
While the treatment benefits can last for hours or even days, there are several ways you can prolong them. They all depend on your lifestyle and the things you do after receiving this alternative medical attention.
Ways to Maintain Chiropractic Adjustments
If you just came out of a chiropractor’s office after a car accident and feel better, here are ways to keep enjoying the alternate medical treatment.
Exercise Often
A chiropractor will typically encourage you to exercise often and recommend a list of exercises you can do at home to stay healthy. These exercises will help sustain the physical therapy procedure and lead to long-term relief from the previous chronic pain. Stick to the exercise routine, and don’t take it for granted.
The spinal cord is a principal gateway to your body’s nervous system and needs to stay aligned in the best position for optimal health benefits. With the right exercises done consistently, the proper alignment will endure for as long as possible. Additionally, regular exercises will strengthen your muscles and make them more flexible.
Stay Hydrated
You must have heard that drinking a lot of water is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stay healthy. That’s true, and it’s more effective after a chiropractic adjustment. Several toxins were released during the adjustment, and you need water to flush them out of your system. So, fill your water bottle and stay hydrated for the next few days or weeks after the procedure.
Water also helps to lubricate joints and make them more flexible. Rigid joints and muscles lead to friction, and that can be painful, which is another reason you need water. Ideally, you should drink up to half a gallon daily to avoid dehydration.
Sleep and Rest
When you are asleep, your body has enough time to heal, and the healing process takes time. When you don’t give the body time to rest, it’s impossible to enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care. Soft tissue injuries and muscles repair themselves while you sleep, and some hormones that reduce inflammation are also released while your body is resting.
Suppose you are a workaholic and barely get up to five hours of sleep daily. In that case, you may consider a lifestyle change, incorporating more relaxation to keep up with chiropractic treatment benefits. Consequently, sleep for at least eight hours every day. You would want to avoid sleeping on your back to reduce pressure on your spine if you have back pain.
Stick to a Treatment Plan
Most seasoned and licensed chiropractors, including a regular primary care physician, will hand you a unique treatment plan and explain each section in detail after your adjustments.
Treatment plans will include exercises that have been mentioned already and other activities that are unique to your body and the kind of treatment you received. If a car accident chiropractor hands you a treatment plan, please ensure you follow it to the letter. It’s not an afterthought but part of your recovery process and essential to your relief.
Watch your Posture
While chiropractic adjustments can reduce pain and make you feel better, your sitting posture can work against it by realigning your spine for the worse. Hence, you may start feeling the previous pain after a few days due to bad posture. Watch your posture, especially if you sit in front of a laptop or large screen all day. If you are hunched against your screen, neck pain may return because you are straining the nerves around it.
Consider sitting upright on a chair to straighten your muscles and spine. Practice upright sittings for a few more weeks and avoid leaning forward or hunching. It may take a while before you fully adapt to this beneficial sitting position, but keep it up because it’s essential to sustaining the benefits of spinal adjustments.
Avoid Heavy Weight Lifting
As you heal from shoulder pain, joint pain, back pain, and underlying injuries after an auto accident stay off heavy weight lifting to enjoy the positive effects of chiropractic care. Whether it’s a dumbbell or a sack of wheat, avoid them because they will strain your muscles, leading to further aches.
Other activities that will strain your nerves, like fixing light bulbs, painting the ceiling, or mending a roof, should wait or be done by someone else. Once you feel a slight discomfort in your joints doing anything at home or work, it’s a sign that you need to stop and give your body time to heal and recover fully.
Take More Breaks
Do not sit in one spot for too long while working. Take frequent breaks to stretch yourself, rehydrate, and return to work. You can also go for a walk if permitted and return feeling refreshed. Sitting for long hours after a chiropractic procedure is counter-effective and may force the pain to resume.
Live a Pain-free Life with Personalized Treatments from Quantum Medical
At Quantum Medical, we provide effective, personalized, and hands-on treatment for all forms of chronic pain to our numerous car crash patients. From physical therapy and chiropractic care to acupuncture and massage therapy, we offer options for taking care of your pain. The staff here is exceptional and strives to provide excellent customer service to our patients. Thus, we’ve earned several heartwarming reviews and referrals, and we are not stopping.
Get the best chiropractor for fast pain relief from car accidents and effective therapies for slip and fall accidents. We are an authorized NYS worker’s compensation prover and provide care for worker’s comp trauma and regularly consult with other medical professionals to assist car accident victims.
Our doctors accept no-fault insurance, PIP (Personal Injury Protection), workers’ compensation, and most health insurance plans. Same-Day Appointment may be available. Contact us now in Riverhead, NY, at (631) 591-2293.