Approximately more than 6 million automobile accidents occur
in the United States each year. Being involved in a car crash is an undesirable
and unexpected circumstance where a majority of individuals can suffer a
variety of both physical and emotional harm. Whiplash and back complications
are common injuries during auto accidents and the uneasy feelings which result
from the aftermath can often be overwhelming. However, these feelings can occasionally
be so strong, they can keep an individual from living a normal life after the
incident.
Understanding PTSD
 |
| Share Free Ebook |
Post-traumatic stress disorder, also referred to as PTSD, is
a psychological or mental health condition that develops in people who have
experienced a traumatic, horrifying event. PTSD is primarily associated with
soldiers returning from combat, although, this emotional ailment is not limited
to military combat situations. As a matter of fact, automobile accidents are
one of the leading causes of post-traumatic stress disorder nationwide.
For most people involved in an auto collision, the feelings
of shock and fear may be difficult to deal with at first, but with time,
patience, and plenty of self-care, their emotional health will generally restore
on its own. But, if the symptoms worsen or they last for months or even years
without improvement and these begin to interfere with the individual’s everyday
functioning, they could have developed PTSD.
The most difficult feature about identifying PTSD, and
therefore treating it, involves the numerous, different ways the condition may
arise for each person. While several people can experience the effects of
post-traumatic stress disorder as bad dreams or nightmares, other can
experience them as anxiety in crowded places.
PTSD Symptoms
Even though the symptoms of this mental health condition can
vary in terms of how they surface, PTSD is characterized by four primary types
of symptoms: intrusion, numbing, avoidance and arousal.
PTSD Symptoms of intrusion are identified when the
individual experiences recurrent, distressing recollections of the traumatic event
in the form of flashbacks. These can also appear as upsetting dreams relating
to the incident or the person may encounter emotional distress when something reminds
them of the event. Numbing symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress
disorder primarily involve negative feelings about oneself through an inability
to experience positive emotions or feeling emotionally numb. Symptoms of
avoidance include both avoiding to think or talk about the traumatic incident
and/or avoiding places, activities or people which remind them of the event.
And last but not least, arousal symptoms, or changes in emotional reactions, for
individuals with the mental health condition involve irritability, angry
outburst or aggressive behavior, paranoia and constant alertness, trouble
concentrating, sleeping and being easily startled or frightened.
If you believe you may have PTSD, it’s important to make an
appointment with your healthcare provider in order to properly diagnose the
cause of your symptoms and formulate the correct form of treatment to begin the
rehabilitation process as soon as possible. Additionally, it’s also essential
to determine the presence of physical injuries resulting from the automobile
accident and follow through with treatment as well.
Research has shown that whiplash-associated injuries and its
symptoms could worsen with post-traumatic stress disorder. While it is still
unclear how psychological symptoms can impact an individual’s experience with
pain and disability, earlier research demonstrated that PTSD and
hypersensitivity to pain may in fact increase the likelihood of developing
chronic whiplash, ultimately making dealing with the emotional condition much more
difficult. Chiropractic care is an effective, alternative treatment option
utilized for a variety of injuries and conditions, including whiplash and back
injuries caused by an auto collision. A doctor of chiropractic, or DC, commonly
uses a series of spinal manipulations and manual adjustments to gradually
restore the natural realignment of the spine, helping the individual recover
the flexibility, strength, and overall health of their body as well as reducing
the symptoms.
Recovering from Auto Injuries
After treating your physical injuries, finding treatment for
your post-traumatic disorder can help you regain a sense of control over your
life. Several types of talk therapy, medically referred to as psychotherapy,
are commonly known treatments for children and adults with the mental health
condition while some types of medications have also been previously used to
treat the symptoms. Getting treatment and support from others can help
individuals recover from PTSD.
Being involved in a traumatic event such as an automobile accident
can have undesirable physical and emotional effects on the human body. Although
these can often be unpredictable, timely treatment of any medical conditions
can help avoid complications in the future.
Overcoming Challenges with Fitness and Health: A Client’s Story
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s clinic and Push-as-Rx system has helped
many individuals facing challenging situations, aiding them through their
rehabilitation process through fitness and health. Anita Rodriguez shares her
compelling story of how she faced a difficult time in her life. With the need
to lift her spirits, Anita was recommended by a friend to attend Push-as-Rx ®™
and her path to a full recovery began. The trainers at Push as Rx helped Anita
Rodriguez through every step of the way, encouraging her and being consistent
with the physical and emotional stimulation she needed.
PUSH-as-Rx ®™ is leading the field with laser focus
supporting our youth sport programs. The PUSH-as-Rx ®™ System
is a sport specific athletic program designed by a strength-agility coach and
physiology doctor with a combined 40 years of experience working with extreme
athletes. At its core, the program is the multidisciplinary study of reactive
agility, body mechanics and extreme motion dynamics. Through continuous and
detailed assessments of the athletes in motion and while under direct
supervised stress loads, a clear quantitative picture of body dynamics emerges.
Exposure to the biomechanical vulnerabilities are presented to our team.
Immediately, we adjust our methods for our athletes in order to
optimize performance. This highly adaptive system with
continual dynamic adjustments has helped many of our athletes come back
faster, stronger, and ready post injury while safely minimizing recovery times.
Results demonstrate clear improved agility, speed, decreased reaction time with
greatly improved postural-torque mechanics. PUSH-as-Rx
®™ offers specialized extreme performance enhancements to our athletes no
matter the age.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
