Still feeling the effects of a car accident?
The crash may be behind you, but your body may not have caught up. Aches can surface days later, sleep gets harder and ordinary tasks feel strange. If you have not yet been checked by a medical doctor or an emergency room, please start there. When you are ready, our doctors can examine the upper neck, a region that takes a great deal of strain in a crash, and plan gentle care from there.
What are auto accident injuries?
Auto accident injuries are the strains, sprains and other hurts that follow a collision, even a low-speed one. The body is thrown against belts and seats in a fraction of a second, and the head and neck move faster than the muscles can brace. Some symptoms appear at the scene. Others take hours or days.
Always be checked by a medical doctor or an emergency room first, even if you feel fine. Call 911 for severe pain, loss of feeling, confusion or trouble breathing.
Common signs include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Headaches, often at the base of the skull
- Back, shoulder or hip pain
- Dizziness, brain fog or trouble concentrating
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or legs
- Poor sleep, or feeling tense and on edge
- The head snapping forward and back on impact
- The seat belt holding the torso while the head keeps moving
- A twist of the spine in a side impact
- Gripping the wheel hard, which tightens the shoulders and arms
- A bump of the head on the window, headrest or door
How do accidents injure the body?
A crash puts sudden, uneven forces through the body. Common ways injuries happen include:
The atlas (C1) and axis (C2) carry the head and let it turn, so the sudden movement of a collision places a lot of demand on the upper neck. Upper cervical chiropractors look closely at that area after a crash, because small shifts there may add to headaches, stiffness and dizziness that linger.
How upper cervical care can help
After your medical evaluation, we begin with a careful exam of our own. 3D imaging of your neck with Cone Beam CT, a posture evaluation with software, neurological testing and muscle assessments show how the crash may have changed the way your head and spine are carrying you from day to day.
If the upper neck is out of balance, we use gentle adjustments with no twisting, cracking or popping, which suits a body that is already sore. Our goal is to support your recovery, ease strain on your neck and help your nervous system work as well as it can. Your plan changes as you heal.
Checked by a doctor first
Please have any serious injury ruled out by a medical doctor or an emergency room before you come to us. Then we can focus on the upper neck.
Symptoms that show up late
Headaches, dizziness or stiffness can appear days or weeks after a crash. We listen for these delayed symptoms and check the upper neck when they appear.
Seeing what the crash changed
3D images and posture measurements show how your neck and body are sitting now, and we recheck as you go so you can see your own progress.
Alongside your recovery team
If you are also seeing a physical therapist, massage therapist or specialist, we are glad to share what we find, with your permission, and work alongside them.
What to expect
Day 1
Your first visit
A consultation with the doctor at the office you choose, a thorough exam, and 3D imaging of your cervical spine with our CBCT scanner. We also do a detailed posture evaluation with advanced software, neurological testing and muscle assessments.
Day 2
Your report of findings
The doctor goes over your history, your exam and posture results, your neurological findings and your 3D images with you, and explains a care plan made for you.
Ongoing
Gentle care, checked as you go
Gentle upper cervical adjustments with no twisting, cracking or popping, and regular progress checks so your plan follows how you are doing.
Why choose Apollo?
Specialized care
We focus on upper cervical chiropractic, a highly targeted and refined approach.
A plan made for you
Every patient is different. Your care plan is built around your own exam and your 3D imaging.
Gentle, with no cracking
Our methods are very gentle: no twisting, cracking or popping.
An experienced doctor
Dr. Kosta Tsakalos brings deep clinical experience and a caring, detail-oriented approach to every visit.
Every person is different, and results vary. Read what our patients say on our testimonials page.
Let us help you get started
If you are dealing with an injury from a car accident, we are here to help. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Kosta Tsakalos and find out whether upper cervical chiropractic care is right for you.
Related conditions we help with
- Whiplash
- Carpal Tunnel
- Shoulder Pain
- Hip Pain
- Knee Pain
- Numbness & Tingling
- Sports Injuries
- Post-Surgical Recovery
- See every condition
This page is general information. It is not a diagnosis or medical advice. If your symptoms are sudden or severe, please seek medical care right away.