Auto Accidents and Pain Medication

Auto collisions can produce significant injuries and resulting pain.  A common reaction can be to reach for pain medication.  Over-the-counter medications can help with pain, but many find they are not effective enough.  In this situation, one option is to seek stronger prescription medication.  This often includes prescription pain medication as well as muscle relaxers.  However, there are downsides to medications that may lead you to seek other alternatives. 

Many pain medications slow healing time.  Additionally, food and medications you consume are processed by the body.  While food products are generally easily processed and toxic byproducts well controlled, drugs and medication are prescribed in doses with an effect in mind, which often produces toxic byproducts to be neutralized.  With many, the liver will neutralize these byproducts and make them easier to remove.  However, the handling of these byproducts can injure and damage the liver and other organs.  Acetaminophen and acetaminophen containing drugs can quickly damage the liver if a high dose is taken quickly.  Particular to acetaminophen, approximately 4000mg per 24 hours is enough to produce immediate liver damage, and this can be quickly reached with a patient in pain with multiple medications containing acetaminophen, especially if a patient were to mistakenly take this medication too quickly without enough time between doses. 

Muscle relaxers are often prescribed after motor vehicle accidents to reduce muscle tightness.  As injured muscles contribute to pain following an auto accident, reducing muscle tightness often helps reduce pain.  However, side effects including drowsiness can be significant enough in some that they cannot take muscle relaxers.  Daytime drowsiness can be severe enough that patients cannot safely drive or operate machinery while taking a given muscle relaxer.  Additionally, some patient’s have spasm and pain severe enough that the standard dose of muscle relaxer medication is ineffective for their symptoms. 

Topical pain medications are an addition that can help manage pain.  These medications often contain menthol as the active ingredient.  They are applied directly to the injured areas, and can decrease local pain while minimizing the effect on the body as a whole. 

Chiropractic care treats the cause of pain.  It involves therapies that directly act on the muscles, joints, and ligaments that are injured in an auto accident.  Chiropractic care involving manipulation, massage, manual therapies, and electric modalities gently move, stretch, and relax injured tissues in the muscle, joints, and ligaments, helping to reduce tightness, spasm, and pain and lead to a more complete recovery.  Chiropractic treatments can be safely applied while taking most medications, and many patients are able to manage their pain with less reliance on medication. 

People usually recover faster with early treatment.  Schedule for a free consultation with our Chiropractor in Aloha / Beaverton, or SE Portland, OR if you are injured and suffering from pain after a car accident.  Our chiropractic clinics specialize in treating auto and work injuries.