When the Chiropractor needs Chiropractic Care
In the past twelve months, 2.35 million people in the United States were injured or disabled in car accidents, so it’s no surprise that I’ve seen a steady flow of new patients coming in with injuries related to automobile collisions and calamities. Every chiropractor is trained in how to diagnose the sources of pain after an accident, treat neck and back injuries, and provide follow up services.
Last month, the doctor became the patient. Yes, yours truly was one of those 2.35 million people injured in a car crash. As a trained and licensed chiropractor, I’d been taught to help my patients, but nothing I learned in school prepared me for what I would go through in the aftermath of my own automobile accident. It’s been a painful experience, and an enlightening one.
Selecting the Proper Health Care Provider after a Car Accident
As a medical professional, I know my own body and can see clearly when certain treatments are not working for me. That being said, one of the most difficult lessons I learned in my ordeal was to not be afraid to make health care provider changes when treatment options were not effective. I had to do this several times, finally finding a good chiropractor and craniosacral specialist to help with my symptoms.
This process, along with the headaches (literal and metaphorical) I had to deal with, has definitely made me more empathetic to my own patients. For those reading this, I encourage you to not simply suffer through treatment options that don’t seem to work. Get second and third opinions, seek out better options, and make provider changes quickly to obtain some relief from your pain and suffering.
Dealing with the Financial Impact of a Car Accident
Road crashes cost the United States $236.6 billion per year, an average of $820 per person. No matter how good your insurance is, you’ll be facing some out of pocket expenses after a car accident. Health care providers usually come with co-pays, prescriptions cost money, and auto repairs may be compensated for after the fact, but you still have to pay for them up front (in some cases).
One of my biggest challenges was selecting the right body shop to make repairs on my vehicle. Thankfully, I was able to obtain a list of “recommended” body shops in Rhode Island and have found the experience to be not as bad as some of the stories I’ve heard from my patients. That’s not to say it hasn’t been a long and tedious process. It has, but that’s to be expected when serious damage has occurred.
Review your Health and Auto Insurance Options Today
No one ever wants to be in a car accident, but it’s always a possibility, no matter how good a driver you are. One final word of advice I can offer after my own accident is to review your health and auto insurance policies … today. Do you have coverage for chiropractic care? If you have high co-pays or deductibles, do you have a properly funded HSA to cover them? Does your auto insurance provide you substitute transportation? Read all the fine print on policy pages and call your providers to ask questions if you’re not sure.
Hopefully, you’ll never need to use these options, but be prepared just in case you do. If you need help, call me. I now have first hand experience in all of this.
You can reach Eastside Chiropractic Center by calling (401) 453-2225 or by emailing eastsidechiropracticri@gmail.com. We offer chiropractic evaluations, adjustments, range of motion testing, injury rehabilitation, massage therapy, low level laser therapy, and numerous additional wellness services.
Auto Body Shop Referral List
Providence County
State Auto Body
401-331-8431
380 Valley Street
Providence, RI 02908
Mario@stateautobodyri.com
Rego’s Auto Body
401-274-5199
300 Chalkstone Ave.
Providence, RI 02908
Michael@regosautobody.com
A1 Custom Auto Body
401-434-4774
2244 Pawtucket Ave.
East Providence, RI 02914
No e-mail
Kent County
D&H Collision Center
401-648-6745
1783 Elmwood Ave.
Warwick, RI 02888
service@DandHCollision.com
Affordable Auto Body
401-736-8501
96 Evergreen Ave.
Warwick, RI 02888
No E-mail
Balise Collision Repair
401-785-8906
340 Jefferson Blvd.
Warwick, RI 02888
bstone@baliseauto.com
Newport County
Sarge’s Portsmouth Auto Body
401-846-6677
47 East Main Road
Portsmouth, RI 02871
sargesab@gmail.com
City Auto Body
401-847-9347
256 Maple Ave.
Newport, RI 02840
Cityautobody1@gmail.com
Aquidneck Collision
401-683-3338
1238 East Main Road
Portsmouth, RI 02871
Aquidneckcollision1073@gmail.com
Bristol County RI
Safeway Auto Center
401-253-3433
61 Gooding Ave.
Bristol, RI 02809
steve@safewayautosales.com
JRA Collision Center, Inc.
401-254-0262
360 Metacom Ave.
Bristol, RI 02809
jracollision@comcast.net
Warren Auto Body
401-245-2225
171 Market Street
Warren, RI 02885
warrenautobody@hotmail.com
Washington County
Auto Service Auto Body
401-884-2300
165 Frenchtown Road
North Kingstown, RI 02852
GMB@ri-auto.com
Quonset Auto Body, Inc.
401-884-3900
7335 Post Road
North Kingstown, RI 02852
Karen@quonsetautobody.com
Advanced Auto Body
401-783-0015
116 Kersey Road
Wakefield, RI 02879
Advancedautobodyri@yahoo.com
