Rest and sleep are an important part of healing as the body recovers.  The use of the right pillow can improve the quality of rest and repair.  Pillow choice should be based on a personal basis as not all pillows work well for everyone. It however may take a short transition period for the body to become accustomed to a new pillow.  A brief trial of one week is usually enough to determine if the pillow is providing some benefit.  The pillow should be used to waking tolerance and then switch to previous pillow for the rest of the night. Each successive night, the time the support pillow is used should be increased.

Cervical (neck) pillows:

These pillows are contoured to fill the spaces under the head and neck and have been shown to be beneficial to those with neck pain.  The pillow has a cut-out or a depression where the head lies and additional support under the neck.  This keeps the neck and back aligned in the neutral position which assists in the tissues healing.

By providing proper neck support, cervical pillows can help with:

•  Neck muscle and joint strains and sprains
• Tension headaches
• Whiplash injuries
• Arthritis
• Morning hand stiffness and swelling
• Temporomandibular disorders
• Stiffness
• Snoring (in some cases)

Use of a cervical pillow should be discontinued if after the brief trial period the pillow causes increased pain.

Cervical pillows come in a variety of materials.  A fiber pillow is blown to exact specifications, which insures uniform distribution and support. These pillows are intended to have the feel of a natural down pillow.  Polyurethane foam pillows come in a wide variety of density and firmness and will return their original shape after use.  These pillows are generally considered to be the most supportive with the longest lifespan of use.  Viscoelastic or memory foam pillows are extremely temperature and pressure sensitive.  They provide less support as they conform to the existing cervical conditions but are well suited for very acute conditions or conditions that are chronic and non-correctable.  Water pillows are also available that use a bladder within a fiber style pillow.  These pillows are adjustable as dictated by the amount of water filled. These pillows tend to be on the heavy side.

If neck pain and poor sleep are aows tend to be on the heavy sidee with the iod the pillow causes increased pain.p are a problem, cervical pillows should certainly be considered as a part of any treatment protocol.

Your car impact was violent. After the initial trauma and confusion, you inventory yourself for pain or injury, and if you are lucky you feel or see none. However, you should still seek medical treatment. Delayed symptoms of injuries are extremely common after traffic collisions. Often this delay can be more than 72 hours after the collision. These injuries may worsen by engaging in everyday activities and cause more damage and a longer recovery. By seeking immediate medical treatment these injuries can be properly diagnosed and treated in a timely manner to avoid permanent injury. There is an abundance of literature describing delayed onset of symptoms because they are so common, insidious and important (1)

These delayed symptoms may indicate a significant injury. You may have been taken to the emergency room following a motor vehicle accident where X-rays were taken and an exam was performed. Most times the X-rays do not show any fractures or significant pathology. The emergency room likely diagnosed a Sprain/Strain and you are released with pain medication and muscle relaxer medication. The emergency room is designed to treat emergencies. Once they have established that you are not in a critical or intensive state, you are released. By no means does that mean you are well, or have no significant injury. It is important to follow up with a doctor that focuses on treating motor vehicle accident injuries. This way you can be assured that any injuries requiring treatment will be diagnosed and properly rehabilitated
References

1 – A Distinct Pattern of Myofascial Findings in Patients After Whiplash Injury
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 89, Issue 7, July 2008, p 1290-1293

So you’ve been hurt in an accident…now what?  Here’s a typical story of what happens after a car accident.  You’re having pain, so you go to the emergency room.  The doctor says you have a pulled muscle, he gives you some medicine or prescriptions, and sends you home.  They may then tell you that you should get a massage, put some heat on the area, and rest.  First of all, this is generally terrible advice for the type of injuries that may occur during a car accident.  He or she then tells you to follow up with your primary care provider in 3-5 days if you’re not feeling better.  Then when you go to a primary care provider and are told that the doctor does not accept automobile insurance for care.  You are typically told you can either pay cash or file health insurance…if you have health insurance.  Does this sound familiar?

Many people who have been injured in a car accident have no idea where to start.  You may be in pain and not know where to turn for help.  At Premier Chiropractic we treat people in this situation everyday.  We are able to help you better understand your situation and what you can do to get better.  In most cases, we can help you recover from these injuries.  In the event that we cannot treat you, we can refer you to the type of health care provider you require.

In Raleigh, and the rest of North Carolina, we have fault insurance, meaning that when you are in an accident caused by another driver, the insurance company of the at-fault driver is normally responsible for the injuries and damages resulting from that car accident.  At Premier Chiropractic, we give you the opportunity to treat without paying out of pocket in these instances.  We will bill the insurance company directly for your care or send your bills to your attorney if you are represented by one for your accident.  Either way, you are not going to have to worry about filing the bills with the insurance and chasing the payment for these bills.  We do this all for you.

Even if you were at-fault and caused your accident, you may have Medpay available as a part of your automobile policy.  If this is the case, your medpay will pay for treatment in our offices for you and any other occupants of your car, for injuries suffered in your accident.  Many people worry about using their Medpay coverage because they fear their policy premiums will increase, this is rarely the case.  If you are not sure what your options are or what coverage you have, our staff is happy to assist you in these respects.

If you have been in a car accident in Raleigh, Durham, Henderson, or the surrounding areas, we invite you to call our offices.  After an accident it is imperative that you receive treatment for these injuries quickly.  Waiting for these injuries to “go away” can allow an injury to get worse and make the injury much more difficult to resolve.  Our doctors and staff are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about this process and what you need to do to get better.  If you are more comfortable talking with someone face-to-face, you are welcome to call us and set an appointment for a free consultation about your injuries and your situation.  We are here to help you, please give us a call and see what Premier Chiropractic can do to help you get your life back.

Dr. Joshua McDowell
Fayetteville Accident & Injury Center