When we sit in our cars, though we understand the risk involved, driving is seen as a nonchalant activity. While driving, you can see people talking on their phones, texting, putting make-up on, or eating. No one wants to be involved in a car accident, yet people can be pretty careless. We don't have to convince you; the numbers say it all.
It is estimated that 3 million people in the U.S. are injured every year in car accidents. The average number of accidents within the U.S. every year is 6 million. Around 27% of injuries are non-fatal. Though it's the better option, it imposes the question of - what happens after the accident? You're never ready for a car crash, and you’re certainly never prepared for what comes next.
Post-crash, it is important to heal and recover the injury you may have experienced. Injuries that occur from car accidents are endless— broken arms, legs, torn ligaments, whiplash, concussion, you name it. Some are lucky enough to only have received minor injuries, but many accidents leave people with more complicated and long-term consequences. Either way, your body has gone through trauma after a car crash.
While the effects of a car crash can be physical, the trauma can also be mental. During a car accident, your body experiences an adrenaline rush that can mask pain and other symptoms, causing you to believe you aren't injured. Even if you don't have visible injuries directly following an accident, injuries can take days to show as your body returns to its regular state.
Most post-car accident patients go to chiropractors and rehabilitation centers to receive treatment such as massage, adjustments, and light therapy. We’re going to focus on the latter, as light therapy is a non-invasive treatment to improve injuries and overall health.
During treatment, light therapy is directed at specific areas of the body, and the light penetrates through the skin, ultimately activating ATP production. This, in turn, helps turnover dead cells and rejuvenate new cells at a faster pace.
Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been studied as a treatment for chronic wounds, and higher-power lasers have been successfully used to close acute wounds as an alternative to stitching. The type of light therapy that you could use varies, as there are many light colors working and functioning in their own right.
Let’s take a look at one Californian chiropractor who uses light therapy to treat his patients. Dr. Marks has been studying light therapy, and works with all areas of the body, including bones, discs, joints, ligaments, muscles and nerves. After an examination, Dr. Marks creates a tailored light therapy treatment plan, focusing on combating spasms, relieving injury pain, and restoring a full range of motion to the injured area – all through light therapy. It’s common for people to grapple with spinal pain and dislocations after a car accident, and light therapy is an ideal complement to chiropractic adjustment techniques.
More and more people are growing their chiropractic practice by adding LED light therapy as a service, particularly since LED light therapy has proven to be highly beneficial for musculoskeletal issues. As one study said, “For over forty years, low level laser (light) therapy (LLLT) and LED (light emitting diode) therapy (also known as photobiomodulation) has been shown to reduce inflammation and edema, induce analgesia, and promote healing in a range of musculoskeletal pathologies.“ LED light therapy has been showing that it initiates a positive ripple effect at the cellular level, creating cellular enhancements that could potentially amplify the benefits of chiropractic adjustments.
Light therapy helps restore your body to its default settings, bringing the body back to equilibrium. It also greatly impacts the circadian rhythm, helping it run smoothly, rest better, and recover more quickly – even after major events like a car accident. Light exposure directly affects your sleep cycle, which is a part of your circadian rhythm, helping your body heal and regenerate through deep sleep.
As mentioned, all of this is possible due to light therapy stimulating ATP production and creating a better regeneration of cells. This gives space for a whole new set of cells that you would eventually develop no matter the light therapy; however, with the boost, they're produced faster and in an improved state. This is exactly when the body needs after a car accident.
Not to mention, light therapy consumer reports show that more people have been satisfied with their results and have experienced general improvement in wellness and overall health—this speaks volumes with respect to light therapy’s effectiveness.
Kaiyan produces MDA-certified and FDA-approved light therapy devices made for use of LED light therapy at home and in-clinic. With the help of light therapy, you can receive the same treatment you’d get from a chiropractor, right at home. It’s the ideal supplement for alternative health practitioners to use in their practice, and even something they can send their patients home with for more accessible healing.
