Auto related injuries from collisions are increasingly common, and typically a major cause of serious spinal conditions which if not treated properly can worsen over a lifetime. The problem is found in physics, the weight of vehicles combined with speed of impact causes incredible wrenching forces that injure muscles, ligaments, joint capsules, tendons and sometimes nerves. For example, an average car traveling only 10 miles per hour at impact generates 25 tons of force. That`s hard to imagine, but it`s important to understand that the force goes through the vehicle in a collision in less than 1/10th of a second, less time than it takes us to form a memory.

  The term "whiplash" associated with auto collisions is actually descriptive of the action when the trunk and head are snapped forward much like a bullwhip. Although seat belts and airbags are very effective in avoiding serious injury from victims not being ejected from the vehicle, they can`t stop the destructive whiplash effects. Our clinic is designed to treat these cases very effectively, and allow those injured in collisions the opportunity to be freed from pain and regain their health. Take a look at some important facts about auto injuries to gain a better understanding of the associated problems, and the best solutions for therapy noted by prominent research experts.

An estimated 80 million Americans have been in auto accidents.  Less than 10 million ever go to a doctor for treatment. Those individuals invariably develop biomechanical and spine -  related conditions including arthritis over time.

In a town of 65,000 people there are 325 car accidents every week.

Over 90% of auto accident victims will experience loss of neck motion, neurological involvement and associated symptoms.

Over 60 million headache sufferers can be linked to “minor fender benders”.

“Whiplash” injuries are serious and if improperly treated will lead to spinal degeneration and arthritis with all the trimmings, i.e. pain, stiffness, after numbness, tingling and recurrent headaches.  To heal these traumatic injuries effectively, ligaments, tendons, muscles, joint capsules and nerves must be addressed in the treatment process.  Each separate tissue type heals at a different pace, for example, ligaments heal much slower than muscles due to their indirect blood supply.

Dr. Halverson has personally treated well over 6,000 auto collision patients in 31 years.  We include chiropractic manipulation, medical massage, physical therapy, cold laser, non needle acupuncture and rehab exercise to complete the healing process.This is a scientific and very effective method, and is the "cutting edge" in conservative care.

There is no “cookie cutter” approach to post trauma care management.  Every collision is unique, and the injuries presented require a customized plan to meet three goals:
1)  Get the patient out of pain as quickly a possible.
2)  Stabilize the symptoms so pain won’t recur during daily activities at work, home or recreationally.
3)  Include an exercise program to maximize strength and flexibility of all damaged areas that can be performed at home to maintain the gains made in the treatment program.

In difficult cases, Dr. Halverson works with local medical specialists to ensure complete diagnostic and treatment protocols are used.

The high amount of "delayed onset" of spinal problems, headaches and neuropathy months, even years after an accident let to the 2 - year statute in Georgia covering late auto relating symptoms. Every state has such a law. Best Bet - Get examined and treated immediately after an accident!!

Scientific considerations you should know - 

Dr. Ruth Jackson, The Cervical Syndrome, (page 87).   “Sprains of the ligaments and capsules heal within six to eight weeks by the formation of scar tissue, which is less elastic and less functional than normal tissue.  Varying degrees of residual alteration of their functional capacity is inevitable.”

Dr. Rene Calliet, Neck and Arm Pain (page 37).  “As the sympathetic chain ascends, it sends off branches that ascend with the vertebral artery, called the vertebral nerve or vertebral sympathetic plexux.  Any irritation to the vertebral artery will irritate these nerves.”

Dr. Ian McNab, The Spine Volume II (page 648).  “Acceleration depends on the force applied and the inertia of the vehicle that has been struck.  The force is dependent upon the weight and speed of the striking vehicle, so that a street car traveling at 3 mph can apply as much force and initiate the same degree of accelerating as a compact car traveling at 40 mph.  The inertia of the car that has been struck will depend not only on its weight, but also on factors that will allow it to roll easily; for example, slippery road conditions, whether the brakes were on, automatic or standard transmission.  A car that is moving slowly will accelerate more rapidly than one that is stationary.”

Drs. MacKenzie and Williams, The Dynamic Behavior of Head and Cervical  Spine During “Whiplash” (page 477).  “Therefore, resulting in Rebound “Compressive” Hyperflexion during rebound hyperflexion, the head will reach an acceleration greater that the acceleration of the vehicle, usually 2-2.5 times greater, thereby creating a unique injuring principle, called “MAGNIFICATION OF ACCELERATIONS which is what makes these injuries as damaging to people, as can be seen under magnitudes and injuring factors.

Dr Saletz, Whiplash Injuries (page 1751).  “The disabling and persistent symptomatology in the vast majority of (whiplash) cases is due to involvement of the delicate and vital nerves and blood vessels about the cervical spine.”

Dr. John Mennel, Back Pain (page 209).  “The most innocuous pathology of the whiplash in the neck, then, is a joint lock at any of the synovial joints . . . . The symptoms of a simple joint lock are limitation of some involuntary movement and pain at the limit of motion.

Drs. White and Panjabi, Clinical Biomechanics of the Spine (page 318).  “If all groups are combined, the manipulative therapy is significantly better.  The study certainly supports the efficacy of spinal manipulative therapy in comparison with heat, massage, and exercises.  The results (80-95 % satisfactory) are impressive in comparison with any form of therapy.”