Short North Accident Injury Care

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Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment

A Personal injury case and offer what we consider are reasonable points of view which are supportable in the literature when possible.

In our experience, failure to follow a reasonable approach often leads to close scrutiny of the claim. It is our hope this discussion will bring the two different levels of expectation a bit closer and result in a higher level of cooperation between the two sides.

Additionally, if the case you manage as the treating practitioner can pass through the medical/legal system, your relationship with the plaintiff attorney can only flourish. However, if the attorney representing the patient loses a potential award as a result of many of the topics mentioned in this article, how likely could an expanding relationship be?

Scope of Care

Obviously, the correct diagnosis is paramount in treating any patient following trauma. We will assume, for the purposes of this discussion, the case being treated represents an uncomplicated soft tissue injury. Specifically, injuries that are absent fractures neurological deficits, dislocations, disc herniations or vascular complications.

Treatment rendered for these injuries should represent the standard of care for the geographic area serviced.

The “scope of practice” or treatment rendered should be designed to make passage through the medical/legal system easier.

For example, performing reflexology on a patient’s feet for cervical spine injuries will draw more attention than the well accepted treatment course of manipulation, moist heat, ice, ultrasound, and other therapies.

This is not to say that payment will be denied, but the road to reimbursement and settlement would be much easier if a more traditional approach to care is rendered.

Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio
Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

Patients who have chronic spinal pain syndromes and were under chiropractor care did a lot better than patients who took medicine or had acupuncture.

Patients who were a part of the study had pain for over 13 weeks. Each of the three groups of participants were treated with one type of care. There was acupuncture given to one group, medication to another, and chiropractic care was given to another group.

Questionnaires that were standardized were used to evaluate the participants. Participants completed these questionnaires when they started the study and again after 9 weeks of care. There was a comparison to the same questionnaires, of the results, that were administered to the same patients one year later.

Chronic Spinal Pain Syndromes Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio
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Researchers took great pains not to include those who were receiving a number of forms of care for their affliction. The aim was to have the results show the benefits of one type of care. Using this method, external factors would be minimized and the outcome should be completely based on the kind of care the patient had.

It was found that after one year, only those that received chiropractic care still noted significant improvement. Researchers found that patients in all three groups realized some short term benefits from whatever care they received. The group that received medication did not do as well as the group that received acupuncture.

The best results, however, were produced in the group that was the recipient of chiropractic care. The conclusion of the authors was that broad-based, beneficial short-term and long-term outcomes were enjoyed by patients with chronic mechanical pain syndromes who received spinal manipulation.

Chiropractic Care for Auto Accidents

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio
Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

I see a variety of clients with injuries and pain of the back, neck and headaches. The reason for the symptoms, in many cases, are related to car accidents, or other types of personal injuries. Frequently, the questionable auto accidents happened in the previous years but the early signs were not considered important by the patient.

Most people try to get their cars fixed as soon as possible, but they don’t bother to see if they are alright themselves. Examples of this reasoning can be found in other scenarios, also. I used to know a woman who was proud of the fact that although she was a smoker, she never allowed smoking in her car since she wanted to keep it smelling fresh!

I’m not sure what the reason is for having these kind of thoughts. Many people dismiss the slight neck or back pain and headaches after they experience an auto accident. This thought process is flawed. Imagine if we didn’t care about other health problems like this.

The injuries resulting from whiplash type accidents are not simple. Muscles are pulled and ripped, sometimes ligaments can break partially or completely, a herniated disc can occur and the spine could be fractured as well.

Many mild to severe symptoms can be caused by these injuries of the neck and back. It’s bad enough when you experience pain in the back and neck over the short term, but over the long term it’s unbearable.

Even though there is a complex mechanism of injury in cases of whiplash, the usual spinal injuries that occur are following a well established path. Irritation of the ligaments and muscles within the injured area is the first symptom presented. Inflammation results from the irritation. Inflammation is not just to blame for a lot of the beginning symptoms that you feel, but it is also to blame for scar tissue development which causes your symptoms to be permanent or last forever.

Ongoing aches and pains as a result of an accident occur in roughly one out of four auto accident injuries.

In my chiropractic office in Columbus, Ohio I see the statistics become reality. Chiropractors can be of great help in treating back pain, neck pain and headaches that are caused by motor vehicle accidents. You should be examined, and treated if necessary, by your chiropractor if you want to make sure that you are not one of the 25% of people that do not recover from injuries sustained in a car accident.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio
Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

The benefits of chiropractic care for those who are afflicted with vertigo are discussed in a research report published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research of November 8, 2006. Sixty patients that were diagnosed with vertigo by their doctors were given chiropractic care in the study; then the results were noted and published.

A feeling of spinning with dizziness characterizes the condition of vertigo. Light-headedness, nausea, and problems with balance are experienced by many sufferers due to the feeling of rotation or movement. There are no lab tests for vertigo, so diagnosis is normally based on the symptoms that patients describe. The study investigated a causal link between vertigo and the nervous system.

Vertigo Treated by Dr. Smith at Short North Columbus Chiropractic Office in Ohio
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The vast majority of patients reported having incurred a physical trauma before the spells of vertigo started. The patients in the study reported their injuries were incurred by auto accidents, sports injuries (such as skiing or bicycling), or slipping on ice. A notation was made that head or neck area trauma was suffered by all of these individuals.

Initial examinations of the 60 patients revealed that all had vertebral subluxations. So that there would be a consistent method of measuring subluxation findings and correction progress, analysis procedures were performed utilizing paraspinal digital infrared imaging.

All of the sixty subjects in this study received chiropractic care that was specific for subluxation correction. There was a positive response from all of the patients included in this study to that care, as shown by the results. There was a one- to six-month variation in the time frame for the responses. Within a half a year, 48 of the original 60 patients had no more symptoms. There was also better improvement shown by the twelve patients that were remaining with either frequency or severity in vertigo episodes.

There is a definite causal relationship between neck injury and spells of vertigo, as reported by the author of the study. It seems that utilizing IUCCA protocol, which is a form of chiropractic care, to correct the injury to the upper cervical spine, improves and/or reverses vertigo disorders.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

In my Short North, Columbus, based Chiropractic Clinic we provide treatment for those patients involved in auto accidents on a regular basis. The most common injury resulting from car accidents is whiplash.

Whiplash is most frequently associated with rear-end auto accidents in which the heads of those in the front car are suddenly snapped backward and forward by the acceleration caused by the impact.

The more descriptive medical phrase used to convey this type of injury is cervical acceleration/deceleration (CAD) trauma or syndrome. CAD accurately describes the rapid movements that can injure the vertebrae of the neck and the muscles and ligaments that support them.

Anyone can be subjected to whiplash at almost any speed, even in a minimal-force auto accident at speeds as low as 5mph. Incidents that cause whiplash can also be related to other incidents or mishaps in which the head is pushed or jerked beyond its normal range of motion. Whiplash commonly causes serious and chronic neck pain, as well as back pain, headaches blurred vision, ringing in the ears, nausea, numbness and dizziness. More serious injuries such as bruising of the brain can sometimes occur in auto accidents.

The sudden accident that caused the initial whiplash injury may fade into memory, but the physical and psychological damage of whiplash can become chronic, severely eroding the victim’s quality of life. Chiropractic techniques are particularly well-suited to relieving the neck pain and other debilitating effects of whiplash because they can
• restore movement lost after the accident,
• overcome muscle weakness and enhance muscle tone,
• speed recovery, and
• diminish chronic symptoms that can persist or recur over many years.

Chiropractic adjustments and supportive treatment have proved successful for many thousands of patients. Chiropractic care significantly reduce patients’ distress and allow them to return to their normal activities.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio
Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.
In my  Short North, Columbus, Our experience with these cases comes from clinical practice, file reviews, and contributions to the scientific literature on the subject. With this said, we are in a unique position to see cases at the request of both the plaintiff and defense.

There is, despite the apparent contradiction in party philosophy, one area of commonality. Both sides utilize our opinion and both desires to know what, in our opinion, constitutes a well managed soft tissue case. Both sides, it seem, have a strong desire to be reasonable, but the different levels of expectations mentioned earlier make each party feel the other is often being unreasonable.

Legal Issues in a Personal Injury Suit

The plaintiff side of the issue is represented by the patient’s attorney and we have discovered they are often placed in a position of “pressure” when attempting to justify some of the patient care issues common to the handling of soft tissue cases by the doctor or therapist.

We believe anything which allows the claim to pass through the “legal” process easier, will be greatly appreciated by the attorney and will often result in a better long-term working relationship with the attorney. This better relationship often results in greater utilization of the doctor’s services by the attorney.

If, on the other hand, the clinical treatment of the doctor or therapist causes the case to lose value, the possibility of a long-term relationship decreases dramatically.

For example, the case we mentioned earlier in which the doctor treated the patient 454 times for an uncomplicated soft tissue injury, makes the case very difficult for the attorney to move the case through the “system” and do justice to their client’s interests. This type of behavior makes the claim lose value and results in protracted litigation before settlement.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call

614 299 9797

to make an appointment.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

Safe Driving and Auto Accidents In Ohio

In my Columbus Ohio Chiropractic, my office provides treatment for many whiplash accident victims.

Auto accidents are serious! You may not be aware that approximately 25% of all auto accident victims never make a full recovery. That could mean a lifetime of neck pain, low back pain, headaches, etc.

The best defense for accident prevention in wet weather is defensive driving. The following paragraphs were found on the National Safety Council website and specifically target safe wet weather driving techniques.

“Losing control of your car on wet pavement is a frightening experience. You can prevent skids by driving slowly and carefully, especially on curves. Steer and brake with a light touch. When you need to stop or slow, do not brake hard or lock the wheels and risk a skid. Maintain mild pressure on the brake pedal.

If you do find yourself in a skid, remain calm, ease your foot off the gas, and carefully steer in the direction you want the front of the car to go. For cars without anti-lock brakes, avoid using your brakes. This procedure, known as “steering into the skid,” will bring the back end of your car in line with the front. If your car has ABS, brake firmly as you steer into the skid.

While skids on wet pavement may be frightening, hydroplaning is completely nerve-wracking. Hydroplaning happens when the water in front of your tires builds up faster than your car’s weight can push it out of the way. The water pressure causes your car to rise up and slide on a thin layer of water between your tires and the road. At this point, your car can be completely out of contact with the road, and you are in danger of skidding or drifting out of your lane, or even off the road.

To avoid hydroplaning, keep your tires properly inflated, maintain good tread on your tires and replace them when necessary, slow down when roads are wet, and stay away from puddles. Try to drive in the tire tracks left by the cars in front of you.

If you find yourself hydroplaning, do not brake or turn suddenly. This could throw your car into a skid. Ease your foot off the gas until the car slows and you can feel the road again. If you need to brake, do it gently with light pumping actions. If your car has anti-lock brakes, then brake normally; the car’s computer will mimic a pumping action, when necessary.

A defensive driver adjusts his or her speed to the wet road conditions in time to avoid having to use any of these measures. Reprinted with permission from the National Safety Council”

If you do happen to get into a fender bender, get to the chiropractor ASAP.

From a statistical standpoint, the best way to avoid becoming one of the 25% of auto injury patients that never fully recover is to undergo an examination with a licensed chiropractor and follow up with any recommended treatment as soon as possible

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus,

Ohio Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

In my  Short North, Columbus,this discussion is designed to address the soft tissue personal injury case and to offer what we consider are reasonable points of view which are supportable in the literature when possible.
In our experience, failure to follow a reasonable approach often leads to close scrutiny of the claim. It is our hope this discussion will bring the two different levels of expectation a bit closer and result in a higher level of cooperation between the two sides.
Additionally, if the case you manage as the treating practitioner can pass through the medical/legal system, your relationship with the plaintiff attorney can only flourish.
However, if the attorney representing the patient loses a potential award as a result of many of the topics mentioned in this article, how likely could an expanding relationship be?

Scope of Care in Personal Injury Cases
Obviously, the correct diagnosis is paramount in treating any patient following trauma. We will assume, for the purposes of this discussion, the case being treated represents an uncomplicated soft tissue injury. Specifically, injuries that are absent fractures neurological deficits, dislocations, disc herniations or vascular complications.
Treatment rendered for these injuries should represent the standard of care for the geographic area serviced.
The “scope of practice” or treatment rendered should be designed to make passage through the medical/legal system easier. For example, performing reflexology on a patient’s feet for cervical spine injuries will draw more attention than the well accepted treatment course of manipulation, moist heat, ice, ultrasound, and other therapies.
This is not to say that payment will be denied, but the road to reimbursement and settlement would be much easier if a more traditional approach to care is rendered.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.

An Introduction to Outcome Assessment(Part 3)
________________________________________
Mark van Hemert, DC, DACS

In my  Short North, Columbus,1992, David Chapman Smith, commission counsel to the Mercy guidelines, stated: “There must be a better method of judging whether a patient’s condition or health status has changed, one that has scientific credibility, can withstand scrutiny by others, and provides strong evidence of good outcomes appropriateness and quality of care.”

The use of outcome assessments is imperative for the practicing clinician. Only by objective documentation of improvement can the attending physician prove that his care was therapeutically necessary; thereby staving off the onslaught of critical opinions by claims adjudicators of third party payers, insurance medical examinations, retroactive governmental utilization reviews and defense attorneys.

The Mercy Conference guidelines defines “outcome assessment” as a procedure or method of measuring a change in patient status over time, primarily to evaluate the effect of the treatment.

The Mercy guidelines go on to list the benefits of implementing outcome assessment into one’s practice procedures for they can:
•    document improvement to the patient, doctor, and third parties;
•    consistently evaluate the effect of care over time;
•    suggest modifications of the goals of treatment if necessary;
•    help indicate the point of maximum therapeutic improvement;
•    justify the type, dose, and duration of care.

(Mercy, chapter 10, page 8.)
This list closely mirrors the points the IME focuses on in delivering his professional opinion. The accumulation of the patient’s objective outcome assessment data during the course of care, will provide the information necessary to make these critical clinical determinations in the medical legal case.

This will individualize you opinion concerning the course of care and the length of care. Treating every patient plan as a continual living, analyzing and ongoing evaluation process.

The RAND study, “Appropriateness of Spinal Manipulation for Low-Back Pain,” makes this statement on treatment duration: “No scientific evidence in the literature supports any of the treatment durations for different indications that have been proposed.”

Using objective outcome assessment data that Mercy rates as established and necessary in your clinical examinations, will result in clinical decisions that are defensible against review professional opinion will determine the therapeutic necessity of care rendered.

My vision is to give the practicing chiropractor the knowledge and expertise to provide to every patient the care they deserve, and to provide objective evidence for every patient and their third-party carrier for reasonable and necessary care; thereby creating an analysis system that is fair to all concerned parties.

In future articles, we will discuss how to use the latest technology to gather objective data. It is important to use the guidelines as an authority not only to guide your practice, but to insist that the IME also follow the same standard.

Mark van Hemert, DC, DACS

Whiplash Accidents Injuries Treated, Short North Columbus, Ohio

Call 614 299 9797 to make an appointment.