What to do after a personal injury

Personal Injury Advice From Your Chiropractor at Kosak Chiropractic

One minute you feel fine, and the next thing you know, you're laid up with an auto accident injury, workplace injury, sports injury or another kind of personal injury. Whether your personal injury is acute or chronic in nature, it can create a variety of painful, debilitating symptoms, even if those symptoms are initially delayed by the shock of an accident. It's important to know what to do when you're faced with a personal injury, so here's an overview of personal injury problems -- and solutions -- from your friends at Kosak Chiropractic in West Omaha.

What Does "Personal Injury" Mean?

The term "personal injury" sounds vague, and it is. It can be applied to any kind of injury that damages your body in the course of your daily activities. (Legally, the term is used to separate this category of liability from damage to someone's property.)
Common examples of personal injuries include:

• Slip and Fall Injuries - Slip and fall injuries account for approximately 8 million emergency room visits each year -- as well as one-quarter of all workplace injuries. A wet spot on a polished floor can send your body flying, causing a hard impact that jostles your spine and can dislocate vertebral structures or extremity joints.

• Workplace Injuries - The realm of workplace injuries extends far beyond slip and fall incidents. Heavy lifting with incorrect technique or weak muscles can produce acute low back strain or herniated discs. A falling object can cause severe musculoskeletal damage. But it's also possible to develop chronic workplace injuries due to poor ergonomics that force you to bend, twist, or strain your body unnaturally.

• Auto Accident Injuries - The forces exerted against your body in an auto accident may send your head flying around at high speed, damaging neck tissues, altering your cervical spinal alignment, and leaving you with the agony of whiplash. An auto impact can also dislocate your upper back or rib joints, as well as producing low back strain and sciatica.

• Sports Injuries - Sports injuries may be chronic (due to repetitive motion strain) or acute in nature. Classic examples include runner's knee, tennis/golfer's elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and sprained joints.

Know the Symptoms

Personal injury symptoms can vary dramatically. Acute sprains and strains will typically cause pain, immobility, and swelling; sprains also cause bruising. Pain and stiffness without other symptoms may indicate a chronic overuse injury. Injuries that include pinched nerves can cause odd sensations in your arms, legs, hands or feet.

Get Evaluated Immediately -- No Matter How You Feel

Don't assume that a personal injury will tend to itself -- or that an absence of symptoms means an absence of damage. Chronic injuries will continue to get worse until their underlying cause is treated, while acute injuries are often accompanied by a shock that delays symptoms for a critical period. Prompt treatment can make all the difference between normal healing and long-term disability, so get evaluated no matter how you feel!

Diagnosis and Treatment Options at Kosak Chiropractic

Our West Omaha chiropractor at Kosak Chiropractic can determine the type and extent of your personal injury through a combination of X-rays and other diagnostic techniques. We may prescribe first aid techniques such as rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) to control your initial pain and swelling. From there, we can prescribe a multi-modal treatment plan to help you overcome your symptoms at their source. Treatment options may include:

• Chiropractic adjustment and intersegmental traction to relieve nerve compression and restore joint motion

• Acupuncture to relieve pain and improve physical function

• Corrective exercises to help you rehabilitate your injury

• Lifestyle advice to help you avoid future injuries

Don't let a personal injury ruin your personal, sports or work life. Call (402) 964-0300 to get the treatment you need!