JAMAICA, N.Y., March 22, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Lee's Spine Center, a Jamaica-based practice, is raising awareness about the benefits of chiropractic care following auto accidents. According to Dr. Lee, without prompt diagnostic care and treatment, auto accident victims are at risk for chronic back pain and neck pain. The chiropractor cautions that since it can be weeks or months before symptoms are evident, prompt treatment is essential to addressing these issues before they get worse.
Individuals do not need to be in a serious car accident to sustain serious injuries requiring chiropractic care. That's the message Jamaica chiropractor Dr. Lee is sharing with his patients. According to the chiropractor, accidents at speeds as slow as 5mph can lead to chronic back pain and neck pain.
"Whiplash injuries are one of the most common auto accident injuries and they can affect individuals at speeds as slow as 5mph," said Dr. Lee. "Just because you walk away from an accident with only a few outward bruises does not mean your body is uninjured. Serious injuries may still have occurred affecting the musculoskeletal system. A diagnostic exam is the best way to identify these injuries before additional pain occurs."
Whiplash injuries can harm the cervical spine and knock the neck out of alignment, resulting in neck pain, headaches, and mobility problems. Soreness and stiffness are common, and accident victims may have difficulty turning the head side to side or looking up and down.
"In addition to neck pain, whiplash injuries can also cause headaches at the base of the head and difficulty concentrating on simple tasks," said Dr. Lee. "Accident victims may struggle to focus on work or sleep comfortably through the night. These are not minor inconveniences; this pain can have a profound affect on an individual's quality of life. Unfortunately, medication is limited in its effectiveness. Drugs can dull pain, but they do not treat the real problem. Chiropractic care addresses the root cause for these problems by bringing correct alignment back to the spine."
Dr. Lee cautioned that while medication can temporarily relieve auto injury pain, drugs do this by dulling the brain's ability to perceive pain. As a result, once the drugs wear off, the pain can return.
"Medication can trick patients into thinking that their bodies are healing because they are not experiencing pain," said Dr. Lee. "In reality, the root problem is not being corrected. Stiffness and soreness will continue, and patients risk re-injuring their bodies if they think they are healthy."
The Jamaica chiropractor recommends a prompt diagnostic exam to determine the extent of a patient's injuries. Should a slipped or herniated disc be compressing a nerve and triggering pain, chiropractic care may be able to bring correct alignment back to the spine and alleviate this compression.
To learn more about the benefits of chiropractic care, visit http://dr-jameslee.com/.