July 27, 2023 
Last Updated: December 22, 2025 
Medical Reviewer: Elizabeth Rivera, DC

Why Seek Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident? 

Were you recently in a car accident? Whether or not you’re experiencing pain, you should see a chiropractor. Injuries from a car accident can appear days, weeks or months after the incident, and early treatment is important for your recovery.

Chiropractors are trained to assess and treat disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. They can help you resolve pain in the back, neck, arms, legs, head and other areas. In this blog, you’ll learn about which injuries chiropractors can treat and why seeing one (particularly within 14 days of your accident) can help you get the care you need to recover after an accident.

Should I See a Chiropractor After a Car Accident?

Chiropractors are licensed Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine who diagnose and treat injuries that affect your spine, bones, joints and muscles. You can visit a chiropractor, like those at Complete Care, without a provider’s referral. Our multidisciplinary team can evaluate your injuries and coordinate chiropractic care, physical therapy and other services you need to recover after any type of motor vehicle accident.

Injuries Chiropractors Can Help Treat

Chiropractors can treat a wide range of auto accident injuries. You should see a chiropractor if you experience whiplash (a soft tissue injury to the neck) and muscle sprains and strains. You should also seek chiropractic treatment for symptoms, including:

• Neck pain
• Lower back pain
• Sciatica and nerve pain
• Tension headaches

For some people, these injuries and symptoms go away after a few days or weeks. However, for others, a car crash can cause long-term pain. Chiropractic adjustments are highly effective at treating chronic pain.

How a Chiropractor Can Help After a Car Accident

Chiropractic care after a car accident can help realign your spine, which releases pinched nerves and soothes muscle pain. Left untreated, these problems can lead to long-term reductions in mobility and your enjoyment of life.

Here are five benefits of seeing a chiropractor after a car accident. 

1. Noninvasive Medical Care

Chiropractors offer noninvasive and drug-free treatments, which give options to people who want to avoid surgery or strong pain medications. Chiropractors use manual techniques, such as spinal alignment and physiotherapy stretches to strengthen muscles, to promote healing and restore function without the need for surgery or other invasive procedures. 

2. Relief for Nerve and Soft Tissue Damage

Car accidents can cause misalignments in the spine, known as subluxations, which can lead to pain and restricted movement. Using spinal alignment, chiropractors can realign the spine, helping to relieve pressure on nerves and reduce pain.

Chiropractors are also trained to assess and treat soft tissue injuries, such as sprains, strains and whiplash. The manual techniques they use can reduce inflammation, improve range of motion and promote healing in the affected tissues.

3. Immune System Boost

Chiropractic adjustments can reduce inflammation, improve blood flow and even increase white blood cell production. Your immune system uses white blood cells to help fight off infections and other diseases. Because these adjustments help reduce chronic physical stress, your body is better able to focus on healing. 

4. Improved Sleep Quality

Muscle tension, chronic pain or even short-term pain after a car accident can make it hard to breathe deeply, which is an integral part of sleeping soundly through the night.

Chiropractic adjustments realign your bones and muscles. After an adjustment, you may find that breathing is easier, partly because your muscles will be relaxed instead of tense. Getting adjusted can also lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone that helps regulate sleep cycles. 

Many people feel tired or sleepy after a chiropractic adjustment, as their body relaxes for the first time in a while.

5. Enhanced Mobility

Your body was made to move, but it can’t function properly when your bones and muscles are misaligned. In addition to adjusting your spine, chiropractors can realign other areas of your body, such as your feet, wrists and hips, improving flexibility and movement.

How Long After an Accident Can You Go to the Chiropractor?

Your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan based on the extent of your injuries. Minor injuries may require only a few visits, while severe injuries may need chiropractic care for weeks or months. 

In Florida, anyone registering a vehicle must have personal injury protection (PIP) coverage*, which will pay for chiropractic care and other medical services you need up to the plan’s benefit limit. The state requires at least $10,000 in PIP, which covers medical bills as well as lost wages and other costs related to the accident.

Remember, though, that you must seek care within 14 days of the accident to use your PIP benefits, which is why seeking care as soon as possible helps not only your pain but also your bank account.

Will Car Insurance Pay for a Chiropractor?

Standard car insurance policies are different from PIP insurance policies. Some auto insurance policies include bodily injury liability, which is coverage that pays for the medical expenses of a person injured in but not at fault for the accident. Bodily injury liability may pay for chiropractic care, but Florida does not require it for all types of vehicles. Instead, PIP coverage pays for medical costs in most cases.

In Conclusion

Chiropractic treatment offers effective pain relief for many injuries from car accidents, including whiplash, muscle sprains and strains, and back injuries. Seeking treatment within 14 days of your accident allows you to get the comprehensive care you need and use personal injury protection to pay for your care, which eases the financial burden of your accident.