The Danger of Not Treating Injuries Immediately
Many people who are involved in a motor vehicle accident don’t seek massage therapy because they feel like they can’t afford it. Unfortunately, however, sometimes just months later, they begin to develop issues because of the motor vehicle accident. Depending on the severity of the car accident and what was impacted, as well as their age and general physical condition, these symptoms range anywhere from mildly uncomfortable to severe. Some of these symptoms include pain, numbness, or tingling down the arms or legs, neck pain or back pain that won’t go away, sleeping difficulties, limited range of motion in the neck or back, tears in tendons or ligaments, herniated, slipped, or bulging disks, shifts or tilts in the hip or shoulder girdle which may later cause other issues, and so much more.
Even if you feel that you weren’t affected that much by a car accident because it was at low speeds or you simply weren’t feeling discomfort at the time, it’s imperative that you seek massage therapy services once given the OK by your doctor. You might not have sustained any major injuries in the car accident, but even the slightest shift or tilt in a vertebra in your vertebral column can have serious consequences years later, and especially if you’re involved in another car accident. Injuries that are ignored won’t go away, they’ll simply fester until you can’t ignore them anymore, often causing much more damage than they would have if you had initially received the care you needed. It’s much easier to treat an injury in the acute phase (when it first happens), than to wait months or years down the road when the fascial and muscular tissues have created compensation patterns to keep your body upright.
I had a client who was involved in a minor motor vehicle accident in 2017 but did not seek massage because she didn’t seem to have any injuries. Just one year later she was involved in another car accident of similar severity, but this time one of her cervical vertebra slipped, causing severe pain, numbness and tingling down her right arm and into her fingers. Because she was in such severe pain, she had to start getting cortisone injections in her neck, as well as receive twice weekly chiropractic adjustments, massage, and physical therapy. If she had received proper care for her first car accident, she may not have needed such an aggressive form of care for the second.
Although massage isn’t a substitute for medical care, and it won’t heal a tear in the ligament, muscle, or tendon, nor can Licensed Massage Therapists make structural adjustments; massage will help to reduce inflammation and swelling, calm the nervous system, help to induce a state of relaxation which will create a better quality of sleep, and will also help to reduce muscular tension that may be helping to cause a structural imbalance. Massage will also help to calm the mind and to help the victim of a car accident destress after such a stressful event. This may help to discourage the development of additional symptoms, as well as making sure that your current symptoms don’t get worse and that they start to improve.
Regarding cost, in the state of Oregon, car insurance companies are required to pay for your alternative care benefits of open claims, including massage therapy, which leaves you with a $0 co-pay. All you need to do is find a quality Licensed Massage Therapist who bills motor vehicle accident insurance, which is another service that I provide. So, the real question is, what’s stopping you from receiving the massage therapy your body needs? For more information, please read my blog articles on Why I Love Working With Motor Vehicle Accident Patients, What You Need to Know About Motor Vehicle Accident Massage and Your Auto Insurance, 5 Steps to Receiving Massage Therapy For Your Motor Vehicle Accident, and The Difference Between Motor Vehicle Accident Massage and Traditional Massage.
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