Peggy's story of overcoming her auto accident and whiplash injuries

Peggy presented to our office after being involved in an auto accident in West Fargo ND. Peggy was rear ended in the car with her husband. She was immediately taken to the ER by ambulance. Imaging revealed no internal injuries or fractures, she was diagnosed with whiplash, and she was sent home with a prescription for pain medication and muscle relaxants.

Peggy was losing to much sleep at night due to the pain and knew she couldn't continue like this. Peggy's husband had been seen at our clinic in the past due to injuries he sustained in the same auto accident and referred Peggy to our clinic.

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Exam

As a chiropractor that's certified in FAKTR and has comprehensibly studies soft tissue injuries we conducted a comprehensive spinal and extremity exam. We noticed the following findings in Peggy's spinal exam of the neck and lower back.

• Significant pain in the right and left trapezius and levator muscles in the upper back along with multiple muscles in the side and front of the neck.
• Pain with even mild compression of the neck and lower back.
• Significant decrease in the range of motion of the cervical and lumbar spine (neck and low back).
• No neurological findings or red flags associated with the disc injury.
• A history of a few episodes of neck pain, but nothing to this intensity and frequency.

After evaluating Peggy, we discussed her condition and her prognosis. We discussed daily activities such as sleep positions and different exercises she can perform herself. We also discussed her concerns such as not wanting to take her medication long term and trying to avoid any future issues related to the auto accident. We also discussed her goals of getting back to school and work pain-free.

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Condition and Prognosis

Sarah has a condition called whiplash or sprain/strain injuries.

Sprain/strain injuries are common in auto accident injuries due to the force of the auto accident.

The force of an auto accident puts abnormal stress on the muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tissues throughout the body and can lead to injuries of these tissues.

Previous knowledge thought sprain/strain injuries heal on their own after 10-12 weeks. New information and research shows a significant percentage of individuals are still dealing with their injuries 1 year after their accident. (12-30%)

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Treatment in West Fargo ND

I discussed with Peggy our treatment plan. We could achieve the results she desired with a combination of Chiropractic and FAKTR soft tissue therapies (muscle work, cupping, massage) and specific exercises for her condition. I explained to Peggy that whiplash and sprain/strain injuries are significant injuries, and our goal is to see improvement each and every visit, but these injuries will take time to heal. Our goal will be to see a very noticeable improvement after 2-3 weeks, be able to decrease treatment frequency and increase her ability to move and complete exercises by 2-3 weeks.

Our ultimate goal is to obtain a return to pre-accident status and get Peggy to the point of no noticeable issues related to the accident. No pain or no issues with activities of daily living.

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Outcome

Through treatment and completing her home exercises Peggy was able to start sleeping with decreased pain and has been able to work and exercise much easier after 2-3 weeks. Each week Peggy saw noticeable improvement and it ultimately took Peggy 5 months to obtain a 100% pre-accident status and recovery from her injuries. The last 3 months were on a weekly to bi-weekly treatment basis. Peggy has not been dealing with any current issues related to the auto accident and it's safe to say a full recovery was obtained.

Peggy has been just one of many patients who has responded to our treatment of whiplash and sprain/strain injuries. If you are dealing with a similar issue feel free contact our clinic and we would be glad to help.

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Insurance Coverage

In North Dakota, PIP insurance is mandatory coverage on your auto insurance policy. The required PIP coverage amount is $30,000 per person. PIP insurance covers medical expenses like emergency transportation, diagnostics, emergency services, imaging services, rehabilitation services, and chiropractic. Contact your insurance carrier for more coverage information.

We're ready to help!

Thank You for taking the time to read Peggy's story!