Yes. Even a low-speed, minor-damage collision can strain the neck, back and shoulders, and the pain from that kind of injury often does not show up right away — adrenaline can mask it in the first hours, and inflammation builds over the following day or two. An evaluation within the same week catches an injury early, while there is still nothing visible on the outside of the car or the body.
The force that reaches a person's neck and back in a collision doesn't track neatly with how much the bumper crumples. A low-speed impact can still whip the head and torso enough to strain the soft tissue and joints of the spine, especially in a rear-end hit. Waiting to see whether pain shows up on its own means the injury has a few extra days to set in before anything is done about it.
The first visit is an examination — range of motion, where it hurts, and whether anything points toward a more serious injury — not a treatment plan handed over on arrival. Chiropractic care, Physical Therapy and Acupuncture do most of the ongoing work where they're needed. If the exam raises something that needs a closer look, the Pain Management physicians review it; interventional procedures, where they're needed, are performed in office at Mesa and Westgate.
Call 911 or go to an emergency department instead of scheduling a visit if there is numbness or weakness on one side of the body, any change in bladder or bowel control, loss of consciousness, or severe pain that is not easing with rest. Those need to be seen right away, minor-looking accident or not.
Whether the accident was minor or serious, there is no payment due up front: care is billed to auto insurance med-pay (the medical-payments part of an auto policy), health insurance, or a lien (the clinic waits to be paid from your settlement) while a claim is open, and a police report is not required to be seen. The full breakdown is on the who pays for treatment page.
Feeling fine at the scene doesn't rule out an injury. Pain from a minor accident often builds over the next day or two, which is why an early evaluation is worthwhile.
Vehicle damage doesn't track closely with how much force reached your neck and back. Little or no visible damage doesn't rule out a strain.
Appointments are usually available within the same week, and earlier is better while the injury is still new.
There's no upfront cost either way. Waiting only delays the exam that would catch an injury early.
No. You can be evaluated whether or not a report was filed.
No referral is needed, appointments are usually available within the same week, and there is no upfront cost.
