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Acupuncture for Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries
This article provides essential information about acupuncture for motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) and related injuries. If you’ve recently been in a car accident, this information can guide you through your treatment options.
Whether or not you were at fault, the Alberta Government entitles you to free alternative medicine care under the Alberta Insurance Act. Contact us for details on how to access these benefits.
While many prioritize vehicle repairs after an accident, it’s crucial not to overlook your health. Even minor car accidents can lead to disruptive symptoms that may worsen over time if untreated. These symptoms include headaches, neck and back pain, shoulder tension, insomnia, confusion, anxiety, and more.
The Alberta Insurance Act recognizes the effectiveness of alternative medicine in treating such injuries. Coverage for treatments following an MVA includes acupuncture, helping you physically and mentally recover.
What You Need to Know After a Car Accident
- Contact your insurer: Notify your insurance company within 10 days of the accident.
- No premium increase: Accessing treatments will not affect your premiums, regardless of fault.
- Benefit timeline: You have 90 days to use your benefits.
- Treatment coverage: You are entitled to 10–21 treatments, including acupuncture, which can save you up to $2,000. Additional treatments may be approved if needed.
- Whiplash symptoms: Even if you feel fine now, whiplash or other symptoms may appear weeks or months later. To ensure proper care, it’s worth claiming your benefits early.
- Choosing your providers: After consulting your primary healthcare practitioner (e.g., a medical doctor, chiropractor, or physiotherapist), you can choose treatment options such as acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy, or physiotherapy. You can mix and match therapies from different clinics.
Why Include Acupuncture in Your Treatment Plan?
Acupuncture, especially Balance Method Acupuncture, is essential to recovering from MVAs. When combined with other therapies like cupping therapy, acupuncture supports faster recovery by addressing both the physical and mental effects of the accident. You are welcome to book an initial treatment in our Edmonton clinic.
Resources for Alberta MVA Benefits
- Financial insurance coverage details:
Alberta Automobile Collision Insurance - Insurance forms:
Fill out form AB-1: Download here
Why is Balance Method Acupuncture Highly Recommended?
Balance Method Acupuncture (BMA) is highly effective for treating injuries and symptoms after motor vehicle accidents. Here’s why it stands out:
- Fast Results: Experience pain and symptom relief during the session itself.
- Distal Point Treatment: Needling is done away from the site of the injury, offering holistic healing without causing additional pain or discomfort.
- No Risk of Additional Pain: Unlike localized treatments such as chiropractic manipulations or massage, acupuncture minimizes the risk of exacerbating the injury.
- Reduces Inflammation and Pain: Acupuncture promotes healing by targeting inflammation and pain at its source.
- Mental Health Benefits: BMA effectively treats anxiety and PTSD often associated with car accidents.
- Relaxation and Balance: Patients report feeling deeply relaxed, rebalanced, and calm after treatments.
- Treats Multiple Injuries in One Session: Acupuncture addresses various physical and emotional concerns in one treatment.
- Covered by Benefits Plans: Most benefits plans include acupuncture, making it an accessible treatment option.
- Quick Assessment of Effectiveness: Results are often noticeable during sessions, allowing adjustments or combinations with other therapies as needed.
- Complementary to Other Therapies: Acupuncture can be combined with chiropractic care, massage therapy, or physical therapy for a comprehensive treatment approach.
- Flexible Treatment Positions: Treatments can be conducted face up, face down, or seated—based on your comfort.
- Additional Therapies at No Extra Cost:
- Cupping Therapy is highly effective for whiplash. It improves blood flow, releases muscle tension, and promotes the healing of damaged tissues.
- Electroacupuncture: Provided when needed to enhance results.
- Chinese Herbal Therapy: Chronic cases may benefit from prescribed herbs and supplements.
- Recall Healing Therapy: Addressing emotional trauma related to the accident when necessary.
How Does Balance Method Acupuncture Work?
BMA is a unique and effective approach to treating pain and injuries. It employs a different diagnostic system and acupuncture points than traditional acupuncture methods, ensuring rapid recovery from pain and inflammation. Here’s how it works:
- Distal Point Therapy: Instead of needling the injury site (e.g., neck pain), acupuncture points on distant areas, such as the ankle or wrist, are used. This approach maximizes results without causing additional discomfort.
- Recommended Treatment Frequency: For best results, starting with two sessions weekly for the first couple of weeks is recommended. In severe cases, three sessions weekly may be needed. Over time, the frequency can be reduced to once a week, once a month, or as required based on individual needs.
Most Common Injuries After a Motor Vehicle Accident (MVA)
Motor vehicle accidents can cause a range of injuries, some of which may not be immediately noticeable. Prompt care is essential to ensure effective recovery and prevent symptoms from worsening over time. Below are the most common injuries sustained in MVAs:
Whiplash
Whiplash occurs when the neck, upper back, and shoulders experience a forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement similar to the crack of a whip. Symptoms can appear immediately or develop weeks to months after the accident, making early treatment critical, even if symptoms are not yet noticeable.
Symptoms of Whiplash:
- Neck, shoulder, and upper back pain or stiffness
- Headaches
- Pain or numbness in the arms
- Fatigue and dizziness
- Insomnia, stress, and anxiety
Concussion
A concussion is caused by a hit to the head, leading the brain to bounce inside the skull. Symptoms may not appear immediately and can take days or weeks to manifest.
Symptoms of Concussion:
- Headache and neck pain
- Nausea or dizziness
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Sensitivity to light
Back and Spine Injuries
Back pain, whether in the lower, middle, or upper back, is common after a car accident.
- Mild Cases: Involve damage to soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, or ligaments.
- Severe Cases: May include herniated or bulging discs or fractured bones, requiring more extensive care.
Hand and Leg Injuries
Pain in the extremities can result from direct local injuries or may be related to spine injuries. Fractures in the scapula or other bones are also common in severe accidents.
Mental and Emotional Injuries
Anxiety and PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) are often overlooked but common after MVAs. Emotional trauma can manifest in various ways, such as fear related to driving or other aspects of daily life. Addressing mental health is crucial for holistic recovery.
Why Is It Hard to Heal After a Car Accident?
The body’s response to a sudden, forceful movement, like whiplash, can complicate the healing process. For instance, the spinal cord may sustain damage, and the body activates a natural mechanism called protective muscle spasm. This tension acts like a “cast,” protecting the affected area and preparing for future accidents. However, this protective response can persist long after the accident, even if the individual is no longer stressed, causing the body to hold onto the trauma.
Without addressing this tension—both physically and mentally—healing becomes difficult because the body views the tension as a protective mechanism. This explains why even mild car accidents can take months or longer to fully recover from. Acupuncture offers an effective solution, releasing this tension holistically by addressing mental, emotional, and physical aspects.
Severe Physical Symptoms After Motor Vehicle Accidents
The symptoms of an MVA can become more severe if the individual has been in previous accidents or has pre-existing conditions. In more serious accidents, there may be internal injuries or bleeding.
Signs of Internal Bleeding:
- Pain, swelling, or purple discoloration in the torso
- Dizziness or fainting
- Headaches, seizures, or loss of consciousness
If you experience any of these symptoms or notice other abnormal signs, it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately.
Conclusion
Recovering from a car accident involves addressing both visible and hidden injuries. Protective mechanisms like muscle spasms can hinder healing unless properly released. Holistic methods such as acupuncture offer a comprehensive approach to recovery, helping to restore balance physically, emotionally, and mentally. If you’ve been in an accident, prioritize your health to ensure long-term recovery and well-being.
