Being involved in a car accident can be overwhelming physically, emotionally, and mentally. Even crashes that seem minor at first can leave lasting effects on the body. At Structural Chiropractic in Oakland, auto accident chiropractic care focuses on gentle, structural techniques that help restore motion, calm irritated nerves, and support your body’s natural healing process.
We combine different chiropractic techniques together under our Structural Corrective method to bring to you individualized care that your body needs, removing the interference (the obstructions) to your nervous system, helping you optimize your health. This in turn allows you to live more fully and vitally in health. We seek to get to the root cause of your health issues, not just to remove pain.
How the Body Responds After a Car Accident
After a crash, the body often shifts into a protective “splinting” mode. Muscles tighten. Joints stiffen. The nervous system becomes irritated as it tries to protect injured areas. While this response is natural, it can lead to pain, reduced mobility, and lingering symptoms and bodily dysfunction if not properly addressed. You may or may not notice or feel this dysfunction to health, making it a highlighted reason to get checked.
Gentle, Structural Chiropractic After an Auto Injury
Dr. Peter Rehl provides gentle, full-body chiropractic care designed specifically for post-accident recovery, the Structural Corrective method. This approach focuses on precise corrections that reduce strain on injured tissues and calm the nervous system.
“After a car accident, your body needs the correct and gentle support, not too forceful. We focus on restoring natural movement patterns so you can heal the right way from the start.” — Dr. Rehl
If you’re unsure where to begin, patients can request a free consultation up to 10-minutes to discuss your concerns and next steps.
Your First Visit: What to Expect
Your initial appointment begins with listening. Dr. Rehl takes time to understand how the accident occurred, your current symptoms, and your health history. From there, a thorough examination is performed. Motion assessments of the spine and pelvis are conducted. Muscle testing helps identify weakness or imbalance. Neurological checks ensure proper nerve function. Even subtle nerve irritation can affect your recovery.
Special attention is given to areas that are not moving well, as restricted motion often plays a key role in post-accident pain and dysfunction.
If special imaging is necessary, we will inform you of the need. We will present an explanation of your exam findings and a personalized care plan. As your body heals, care is adjusted based on your progress and response to treatment.
How Chiropractic Helps After an Auto Accident
Structural chiropractic care supports recovery by restoring motion, reducing nerve irritation, and helping the body heal efficiently. The primary condition to focus on are the joints that are not moving well, especially of the spine and pelvis, but may be other joints as well, your shoulders, knees, hips, etc. In our clinic, we call these primary conditions “obstructions”.
These obstructions cause secondary conditions: what you feel, and what you do not feel, your illness, your dysfunction. The key in our clinic is to find, detect, and correct obstructions to unlock your body’s innate ability to heal itself. We may add cold laser as well.
Chiropractic care after a car accident commonly helps with:
- Neck pain and whiplash
- Back pain and stiffness
- Headaches and postural strain
- Shoulder, hip, knee, and other extremity injuries
- Numbness, tingling, weakness, or abnormal sensations
- Sleep disruption and fatigue
- Reduced range of motion and lingering inflammation
- Concussion evaluations when needed, with reports sent to a neurologist for further review
Gentle Techniques Used in Auto Accident Care
Care is tailored to the individual. It may include a combination of gentle chiropractic techniques such as Impulse IQ (computer-assisted instrument adjustments), Activator Methods (targeted, low-force corrections), Drop Table (controlled movements to restore spinal motion), and Diversified adjusting (hands-on techniques when appropriate). Altogether, these techniques are what we use and call Structural Corrective method, getting to the root cause of your health issues.
Soft tissue work, stretching, and corrective exercises may also be included to support healing and improve long-term stability.
Cold Laser Therapy for Healing Support
For injuries involving inflammation, muscle strains, or soft tissue damage, Cold laser therapy is often recommended. This safe, non-invasive therapy uses light energy to boost mitochondrial ATP production, helping to reduce pain, decrease inflammation, and support tissue repair.
Cold laser sessions typically take about five minutes following an adjustment and can be especially helpful in more severe crashes or cases requiring ongoing care.
Insurance-Friendly and Patient-Centered Care
Structural Chiropractic welcomes auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. The office accepts Medicare, United Healthcare, HSA/FSA accounts, and major credit cards. When necessary, health care may be co-managed with other providers, including concussion screening using eye-movement testing.
Next Steps After an Auto Accident
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident, early care can support a smoother recovery. Schedule an appointment to discuss your symptoms, get clarity on what’s going on, and plan your next steps.