What should I do if I’m injured at work or in an auto accident?

If you are injured at work and you are physically able, contact your supervisor and inform them of your accident. They will provide you with the necessary paperwork to document your injury. It is very important to explain your accident in as much detail asd possible. Each state has a set of laws for obtaining the appropriate health care following an injury at work. It is important to be evaluated by your health care professional as soon as possible following a work related injury or auto accident. Most Doctors of Chiropractic specialize in treating patients injured at work or in auto accidents.

Do I use heat or ice after an injury?

This is a common question, and a very important one. After an injury like a twisted ankle, pulled hamstring or lower back sprain, the inflammatory stage begins and lasts for 24-72 hours. During this time ice is preferred. Typically ice is applied for 10-20 minutes. This cycle is repeated as often as necessary. If you don’t have an ice pack, a bag of frozen peas or corn will do. P.R.I.C.E., a common acronym to use after an injury, suggests patients Protect, Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate their injury. Heat is typically applied to an injured muscle or joint long after the inflammatory phase is over. Moist heat is preferred over dry heat, because dry heat (such as a heating pad) may hydrate your muscles making them less flexible and predisposing them to further injury. Moist heat applications may last up to 20-30 minutes. Ask your doctor which therapy is best for your injury or condition.

Chronic Sports Injuries

Sports injuries are common in today’s active society. Due to increases in an athletes’ size, speed, power and strength, greater stress is placed upon an athlete’s muscles, tendons and ligaments. The key to properly treating a chronic sports injury is to identify the complete cause, not simply to treat the injured area.If an individual suffers from multiple chronic sports injuries, dehydration must be ruled out. This is found in individuals that have tendency to sweat more than average. In this case, increasing water intake is good, but not sufficient toward off potential injuries. Electrolyte balance is very important because sweat contains salts that must be replaced. When the body is dehydrated and imbalanced from an electrolyte standpoint, pulled muscles are very common.Chronic sports injuries are often due to overuse syndromes. In a year-round warm climates, like in California and Florida, athletes can play the same sport throughout the year making overuse and repetitve stress injuries such as tendinitis (painful inflammation of the tendons), and arthritis (joint inflammation) commonplace.

Repetitive Stress Injury – Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve leading to the hand is compressed at the wrist. Think of CTS being a “pinched nerve” in the wrist caused by swelling and thickening of the tendons responsible for moving your fingers, or from trauma to the wrist. CTS typically begins as tingling in the hand that wakes the patient at night and can progress to muscle weakness and finally atrophy of muscles in the effected hand. Your doctor can properly assess your condition to decide if chiropractic care is appropriate for you.