Welcome to

Crown Wellness Center

713-952-7696 

Houston Chiropractor: Dr. Shuvir S. Bhattacharya, M.S.. D.C. has  27 years experience treating patients with a wide variety of unique conditions.

Dr. Bhattacharya has specialized in the treatment of automobile accident injuries.  He has been called to testify as an expert witness in court cases as well as giving depositions.

Auto Accidents

Many automobile accident victims feel shaken, but otherwise think that they are uninjured at the time of the accident.  However, 24-72 hours later, may start to feel pain especially experiencing headaches, neck pain, back pain or other symptoms.

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety which is funded by the insurance industry has done crash testing research that shows whiplash injury can occur in automobile rear impact crashes with speeds as low as 20mph.

The most important thing to remember is receive the necessary treatment in order to achieve the most complete and speedy recovery following any car accident injuries.

Dr. Lauren Bhattacharya, D.C. completed post-graduate studies from the Spine Research Institute of San Diego in the study of Whiplash and Brain Injury Traumatology. As a graduate of this course, Dr. Lauren received the most in-depth, science based training availiable today in evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of automobile accident injuries.

As a TeamCME clinic we provide CDL Physical Exams and Drug Testing as required by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Whiplash

What Causes Whiplash (Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration Injury) ?

During a car accident when the car is struck from behind (rear ended) the lower part of the body moves foward with the car while the head is thrown backward then forward then backward again.  This type of injury is called hyperextension/hyperflexion which is one of the most injurious forces (G-force) to the neck. 

This is a motion nature never intended humans to endure - the horizontal shear force accompanied by cervical compression.  The mechanism of this injury occurs chiefly within the first 100-125msec of the car crash - meaning the time prior to the head making final contact with the head restraint.

If your car is rear-ended with such force that it is pushed forward to strike the car in front of you, then you may suffer from hyperextension/hyperflexion injury.  This is considered a second whiplash injury, as often seen with mutliple car pile ups.

What has happened to the inside of my body?

You may have heard, "It's just a soft tissue injury." 

Here is the mechanism of  injury to the soft tissue during a car accident - A stretching of the joint capsule,vertebral arteries and the intersegmental hyperextension of the lower cervical spine (compressive injury) which can result in long-term pain and biomechanical compromise. The muscle fibers are injuried and/or torn as well as the nerve roots and in more serious cases the brachial plexus (network of nerves going through the shoulders) can be stretched beyond the normal limits.

What are the  symptoms of whiplash injury?

• Neck pain/stiffness
• Shoulder pain - involving joints and/or rotator cuff muscles
• Upper back pain
• Headaches
• Diffused pain and/or numbness in upper extremities (Arms)
• Scapular and interscapular pain (in between the shoulder blades)
• Trigger point development in the neck and upper back
• Muscle pain and aches
• Fatique
• Blurred vision

In some cases, patient's have developed Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMJ), Carpal Tunnel Syndrome,  Double Crush Phenomenon following Whiplash injury. 

If you have been involved in an car accident:       

Don't be fooled in thinking you're not injured!

How am I going to pay for treatment?

If the car crash was the fault of the other driver, then his or her car insurance will pay for any chiropractic medical treatment that you may receive.  If the person who hit you is not insured, then your un-insured motortist (UM/UN) coverage will pay for medical expenses.  You may file on your personal injury protection (PIP) coverage as well.  If you have an attorney, Dr. Bhattacharya accepts Letter of Protection (LOP's).  If you don't have an attorney, but feel you need one, that is not a problem, staff at Crown Wellness Center can recommend several competant attorneys in your area for you to choose.

The most important thing to remember is to maintain the necessary treatment in order to achieve the most complete and speedy recovery.