Should I see a chiropractor after a car accident, even if I feel fine?

Yes. Auto accidents can injure the spine and its ligaments even when you do not feel much at first, and some damage does not produce symptoms right away. This patient rarely had symptoms before her accident, yet her films showed a spine that was already compromised and then injured further in the crash. A structural evaluation after an accident finds what you cannot feel.

What is a reversed neck curve?

A healthy neck has a gentle forward curve, called a cervical lordosis. In a reversed curve, or cervical kyphosis, the neck curves the opposite way. On a lateral X-ray it shows the bones sitting well off the normal line. A reversed curve is less stable and less able to absorb load, which is one reason it is a serious structural finding.

Is it normal to feel worse after a chiropractic adjustment?

It can happen, especially when a spine is being moved through significant correction. Some soreness or a temporary increase in discomfort is not unusual as the structure changes. This patient felt worse at times and kept going, and her diligence is part of why she improved. If you ever have concerns after an adjustment, tell your chiropractor.

Why does being under chiropractic care before an accident matter?

A well-aligned, stable spine is better able to withstand the forces of a crash, a fall, or any hard stress, and is less likely to suffer significant damage. A spine that is already subluxated and unstable, like this patient's reversed neck, is more vulnerable when trauma hits. Being under care beforehand gives your spine the best chance to handle what life brings.

Auto Accident, a Reversed Neck Curve, and Why Prevention Matters

By Dr. Romar Rochet, D.C. — 20+ years subluxation-based family chiropractic care. Every Correction Spotlight documents a real patient from this office.

How She Arrived

This month I want to feature a 26-year-old woman who came to us after a car accident. Here is the part most people would not expect: the biggest problem on her films was there before the accident ever happened. Her neck curve was fully reversed. A healthy neck curves gently forward; hers curved the wrong way, a kyphosis, and she had lived with it for a long time, rarely feeling any symptoms at all.

Why a Reversed Neck Made the Accident Worse

A spine that is already subluxated and misaligned is not ready for trauma. A reversed neck curve is unstable, and instability means the forces of a collision have more room to do damage. That is what happened to her. On top of a spine that was already compromised, the accident produced significant injuries to the ligaments of her neck, at the levels of C3 through C6 — the kind of damage a healthier, better-aligned spine is more likely to withstand. The crash added insult to an injury that was already there.

The Plan — A Royal Palm Beach Auto Accident Case

We have been correcting her subluxations for eight months. This is a long case, and there is a reason for that. Her initial lateral cervical film showed just how far her neck had deviated from a normal curve, and a spine that far off does not come back in a few visits.

Clinical Findings — Initial Examination

Patient: 26-year-old female, following an auto accident

Presenting complaints: Constant, chronic, severe headaches (migraines at times), mid back and low back pain

Primary structural finding: Fully reversed cervical curve (kyphosis), present before the accident

Accident injuries: Significant ligament injury at C3 through C6

X-ray type: Lateral cervical

Care so far: Eight months of cervical subluxation correction

Lateral Cervical — Initial & Re-Evaluation

January 10, 2022 initial lateral cervical X-ray of a 26-year-old female showing a fully reversed neck curve (kyphosis) after an auto accident, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

Before — Jan 10, 2022 Initial X-Ray

September 12, 2022 re-evaluation lateral cervical X-ray showing the neck curve improving toward normal after eight months of subluxation-based corrective care, Rochet Family Chiropractic Royal Palm Beach

After — Sep 12, 2022 Re-Evaluation

On the films, the green line is where a normal neck curve should sit, and the red line is where her bones actually are. Between January and September, the red line moved back toward the green. Her curve is not yet normal, and there is more correction ahead, but the direction is clear.

Why Her Recovery Took Longer Than Usual

Over the last two months, she finally saw her constant, severe headaches, migraines at times, resolve, along with her mid back and low back pain. That is slower than usual. Headaches often ease fairly quickly under care, but hers took time because of how far her spine had deviated from normal. When the foundation is that far off, there is more foundational correction to do before the body can regain normal function. The length of time her pain lasted was a measure of the severity underneath it.

She stuck with it, even on the days she felt worse after an adjustment. That can happen when a spine is being moved through significant correction, and it takes real diligence to keep going. Because she did, her health going forward looks better than it did even before the accident. And yes, she feels better too.

The Lesson in Her Case

By God's grace and her commitment, this one is heading somewhere good. But the lesson I most want you to take from it is this: the time to strengthen and align your spine is before life tests it. A spine that is already cared for handles a crash, a fall, or any hard stress far better than one that is not. Get checked often. Get adjusted when necessary. Stay healthy.

Don't Wait for a Crash to Find Out About Your Spine

If you have been in an auto accident, or you simply want your spine ready before life throws something at it, come in for a full structural X-ray analysis. What we find now is far easier to address than what a trauma can turn it into.

Schedule a Structural Evaluation

Or call us at (561) 795-3156

Have you ever had your spine checked for subluxation?

Her Neck Was Already Reversed Before the Car Accident