A car crash transfers a great deal of energy into a body that had no time to brace. The damage is often not where the pain is on day one.
What actually gets injured
Rear-end collisions drive the head backward then forward, straining the facet joints and ligaments of the neck. This is the classic whiplash mechanism and it accounts for most of what we see.
Side impacts load the spine sideways, which the discs tolerate poorly, and commonly injure the shoulder and hip on the struck side.
Seat belts save lives and bruise chest walls, shoulders and abdomens doing it. Airbags cause facial, wrist and forearm injuries.
Conditions this commonly causes
What we do about it
We establish what is injured, treat it directly with image-guided injections, nerve blocks or physical therapy as appropriate, and document the injury properly from the first visit.
Call (314) 310-5577 or request an appointment.
Common questions
How soon after a crash should I be seen?
Within a few days if you can. Soft-tissue injury responds best early, and an early record of your symptoms is worth a great deal later. If symptoms are worsening quickly, sooner.
The ER said I was fine. Why do I still hurt?
An emergency department rules out things that will kill you — fractures, bleeds, organ injury. It is not designed to find a disc injury or a facet joint sprain, and a normal X-ray does not exclude either.
Do I need an attorney to be treated?
No. See how accident billing works.
Hurt in an accident? Start here.
You do not need a lawyer, a police report or a referral to be seen. Bring your symptoms and we will work out the rest.
Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Same-day appointments are often available for new accident and injury patients.