Whiplash happens to us too

And there I was, west bound on TV Hwy stopped at the right light. Two Beaverton police officers were tending to a crash just 15 ft to my left when it happened. A teen-aged girl, looking at the commotion to the left, hit me from behind. Ahhh!

It had been decades since my last crash. I had forgotten the ear piercing sound of bending metal and brain rattling force that jolted through my body. I had also forgotten the physical / emotional havoc a person feels after even a minor crash.   
Yes! I've been seeing my Chiropractor to get myself put back together and things are going well.

Whatever you may be feeling, you can bet we have probably felt the same and understand how to get it fixed. 

AUTO INJURY?

We can help!

503.431.2388

Dizziness and Whiplash

Dizziness is frequently associated with auto injuries and whiplash. One mechanism of this involves what happens inside the ears and it's effect on eye moment. Fixing the ears and normalizing eye movement is critical before anything else. 

Inside the ears are extremely small circular tubes lined with salt crystals. When the head slams back and forth in an auto crash, some of these salt crystals can flake off. As these loose crystals float around inside the small circular tubes, people feel dizzy. As the person feels the spinning sensation, the eyes move opposite the direction. 

Post auto crash dizziness is maddening at best and can be debilitating. Sitting up from bed, standing up from sitting and even turning the head can render some people nauseous and unstable. These are the things Fox Chiropractic helps with every day.

We're here when you need us.

Richard H. Crokin, DC

503.431.2388

Auto Crash and Low Back Pain

It happens way too often. You're minding your own business sitting at a red light. Just before the light turns green... CRASH! You were just rear-ended.

After a few days, your low back starts to ache a bit. Advil helps take the edge off but that ache continues. Walking to the car hurts. Sitting at your desk hurts. Standing doesn't help. By this time you're thinking something is just not right.

This scenario walked into the office not long ago. We took an x-ray of the back and pelvis and this is what we found.

Look at the "Mickey Mouse" ears of the pelvis... Are the ears the same height like they're supposed to be? No way! But how does this happen in a rear end crash?

The foot is typically resting on the break. The force of impact slams the occupants forward in the blink of an eye. If one leg is out-stretched against the floor, that force is directed through the leg to the pelvis and now walking, sitting, standing and a whole host of other daily activities are challenging. 

Helping scenarios like this is what we do every day.

 Auto Injury Recovery

Call me if you have concerns.

Richard H. Crokin, DC

(503) 431-2388

Words to Avoid

In the unfortunate event you're involved in a car crash, there are some words to avoid when speaking with the insurance company. Words are powerful. Keep is simple, keep to the facts and keep it truthful.

SORRY:
This immediately implies some sort of fault. Even if the crash is clearly caused by your negligence, let the police officer or the insurance company make that determination.

WHIPLASH:

This is a buzz-word in the industry and sure to get your claim fast tracked for investigation. If you feel you've suffered and injury, get it documented and let the provider submit the report. It's covered! Make the most of your policy when you need it.

FINE:

On the other hand, stating you are "fine" could signal a rapid closure of your claim. The fact is, with any car crash you should be evaluated because symptoms often do not develop for days or weeks after the incident.  

INTENTIONAL:

Insurance companies cover a wide variety of claims. They do not cover intentional acts of negligence. This one word could crush any hopes of damage recovery. 

Richard H. Crokin, DC

503.431.2388

Double Impact Crash

A "tough-guy" contractor came in last week after a double impact car crash. He was rear-ended by a bus and then shoved into the car in front of his. His work truck was totaled and had to be towed away. He was a mess. Surprisingly, a medical doctor at the Urgent Care suggested he come see us.

It's been a week now. He felt a bit better after the first week and by Friday I started hearing him say things like "I feel pretty good," "I'll be OK in a few days," and "This isn't gonna take long."  I knew otherwise...

Monday came around and the first thing out of him was "I feel like I got ran over," "I didn't realize how bad this was," and "This is gonna take a while." 

Injuries to muscles, ligaments and nerves are not like a broken bone where the doctor puts a cast on it, marks the calendar and in 6 weeks it's ready to go. Because we move all day, sit, stand, bend, lift and twist, healing time varies depending on many things; the severity of impact, prior health status and necessary activity levels. 

Car crashes and whiplash take time and regular rehab to fully and appropriately  heal. Let us evaluate your condition, make recommendations and start the process as soon as possible. 

The sooner care begins with us, the sooner you get your life back.

Auto Injury Recovery

Fox Chiropractic

503.431.2388

Be Safe; Make a Claim

A brilliant young woman had been treating in our office for straight forward neck and back issues. We were about 4 weeks into her recovery when she presented telling me the night before she was rear-ended. She described being at a stop light when the car behind her "bumped" her. They both got out, determined no vehicle damage had occurred and they both just DROVE AWAY. She figured she would be fine...

24 hrs or so later she developed a headache she attributed to stress from work. The thing was, she rarely suffered headaches, even minor ones. After chatting a bit and suggesting she might consider making a claim to her car insurance, she declined repeating "there was no damage to my car. I'll be OK." Well the nagging headache referred behind her right eye continued.

This went on for nearly 2 weeks when the digestive complaints started. "Maybe I'm getting the flu or something." I thought differently and took an x-ray to confirm or rule out my suspicions. (Although these are not the actual films taken, they represent what we found nicely.) 

The spine has normal curves to support the head and body like a spring against gravity. Think of a banana. It's curved because that's the way it needs to be; like the x-ray on the right. Even low speed accidents can force the banana neck to reverse. This happens because the force of "the bump" is transferred to the occupant in milliseconds. This is WAY faster than the body can respond causing the banana to bend backward. (Bend a banana backward. What happens to the banana inside? Well, that's the spinal cord!) 

Auto accident? Call  Fox Chiropractic  and get checked!

 

 503.431.2388

Low Speed Rear End Collision

 

When stationary, the typical human head weighs about 10-14 lbs. That same head generates 9 X the force of gravity during a 6 mph crash.

See it happen here...

Is it any wonder your neck hurts, back aches and head pounds? Can you see how  concussions happen? Are you ready to recover?

I'm available to chat about your options.

 Call me directly

Richard H. Crokin, DC

(503) 431-2388

Prior History

A guy recently came to see me for auto crash related injures. Fairly straight forward as far as whiplash type injuries go. The confounding problem is his prior history; hip fusion and a 3 inch orthopedic sole on his shoe.

Do you think this guy is likely to respond quickly or maybe a bit slower? My vote is slower. His body was "out of whack" before we even started. This will inevitably result in somewhat slower progress.

All cases are different. Before starting care at Fox Chiropractic, we'll go over your prior history and determine if there is anything that may slow your progress. And if I find a problem I'll tell you. If not, I'll tell you. Either way, you'll know where you start!

Call me directly:
Richard H. Crokin, DC
(503) 431.2388

Chiropractic Neurology II

Care is progressing nicely. Our "head twitch" patient is feeling better and both of our goals are being met;  her left low back is improving AND the head twitch is significantly decreased in frequency and intensity. Good things are happening for her body and her nervous system!

The science of Chiropractic has progressed light years since it's official start in the late 1800's.  What once was considered a miracle is now a clinical expectation.

Restore Your Hope

This is the work we do. Contact Dr. Crokin with your questions.

Fox Chiropractic Clinic 

503.431.2388

Chiropractic Neurology I

An acupuncturist I know recently referred an auto accident victim who had been rear-ended on I-5. She had already seen one Chiropractic provider but after she developed an uncontrolled head twitch she sought a second opinion.

Although her primary complaint is left sided low back pain, my primary focus is eliminating the head twitch. Imagine going months or more with your head twitching! A big question is how does low back pain cause head twitching. 

The body / brain is an extremely complicated machine. Brain sends signals to body and body sends signals to brain. If these signals get crossed, bizarre symptoms can result. In this case, the area in her brain that controls the break peddle on her muscles is out of whack.  My job is to find a working neurologic pathway to properly get signals to the break peddle. 

This story has only just begun. Updates to come as care progresses.

 Fox Chiropractic Clinic

 Richard H. Crokin, DC

(503) 431-2388

Teen Whiplash

A long standing patient presented the other day for regular "maintenance" care and happened to mention her daughter had been complaining about increasing neck and back pain over the past month. One question I frequently ask is "What do you think is going on?" With a moment of hesitation she says "Maybe it was the car accident she was in last month." 

I'm  regularly amazed at how Chiropractic is viewed in the eyes of the public. The mother of this teenager never considered a young person needing chiropractic care... even after a significant trauma!  ( Had I neglected to ever speak to her about structure / function / health and her family? ) 

 

After a short conversation about helping her teenaged daughter she said the 6 words Chiropractors hear all too often... "We thought it would go away."

 

Anna started care that week. Thankfully, here condition was fairly straight forward and she recovered well. 

The moral of the story... Auto injuries are serious and kids need Chiropractic too. Just because they are young and bendy does not eliminate the fact that bones move, muscles strain and nerves get irritated. If left untreated, long term issues can be expected into adulthood. 

 

Fox Chiropractic

Tigard's Whiplash and Auto Injury Clinic

Contact Dr. Crokin

(503) 431.2388

   

Portland Whiplash Injury Recovery

It seems like every morning the local news reports yet another traffic snarl on I-5 or elsewhere resulting from some sort of accident. Maybe somebody was on their phone or just looked away from a second. Maybe they did everything exactly right and were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever the case... That's why they call it "an accident."

The radio tells us almost every day that if our car body gets banged up to take it to Leif's. But what about our own body? What about the aches and pains WE experience after a car crash? Should you go to the ER, urgent care, or family doctor? It only makes sense that if our car goes to an auto body specialist, we should have potential injuries evaluated by an injury specialist.

Look... Chances are you don't have any broken bones or severe internal bleeding. However, a significant percentage of accidents do cause mild concussion or "traumatic brain injuries." Common symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Visual disturbances
• Memory loss
• Poor attention/concentration
• Sleep disturbances
• Dizziness/loss of balance
• Irritability-emotional disturbances
• Feelings of depression 
• Nausea
• Loss of smell
• Sensitivity to light and sounds
• Mood changes
• Getting lost or confused
• Slowness in thinking

This is serious stuff that needs to be dealt with and not just "wait it out!" The longer symptoms and dysfunction persist, the greater the risk of a chronic, life altering condition. 

We'll be here when you need us! (503) 431.2388

Dr. Crokin 

Web Site: Chiropractor-PortlandOR.com

Whiplash and Brain Injury

Whiplash injuries can really rattle a person. Frequently it takes 7-10 days for symptoms to develop. Too often those symptoms are more than just general aches and pains. Too often, dizziness, concentration or memory issues, changes in vision and a whole host of other challenges develop. These are brain based problems.

So now what? Now you find a specialist with the understanding, tools and techniques to provide the PROPER type of rehab. The proper rehab should be directed at stabilizing the affected neurologic pathways. In plain English... fix whats actually broken so you function as well as possible. 

Chiropractic Functional Rehab in NOT just "popping your neck." In fact, that might just be the LAST thing a person needs early on in their recovery. It's a balancing act of provide appropriate therapy without doing too much!

All auto accidents are serious. Contact Fox Chiropractic for your whiplash / concussion evaluation. 

Fox Chiropractic Clinic

503.431.2388

Auto Accident Injury

  All too often, people involved in an auto accident say, "Ahh, I'm OK. It'll go away." Or maybe their insurance company will convince them to settle before being checked by a professional trained in whiplash injuries. Another big one is the insurance company saying because there was no significant damage to the car, there could not be any significant injury. These are BIG mistakes!

First off, many times pain does not even develop for 2, maybe 3 weeks or more. All the while, scar tissue is forming, nerve irritation is worsening and motion slowly decreases. ANY TIME a person is involved in a car accident, it is important to at least be evaluated by a whiplash specialist. Hidden injuries are sneaky and can be missed leaving the victim set up for nasty problems down the road.

  Next, is the insurance company. Make no mistake! Maybe you have been with them for years and assume they have your best interest at heart. Think again! Insurance companies will go to great lengths to keep their money. They often call within the first few days to offer a settlement that is WAY below that which is deserved. Without documentation of the injury, there is really no case to argue.

Finally, there is the ever popular "No Damage = No Injury." This is absolutely positively FALSE! Car bumpers are made to absorb impact force and minimize external damage. Where do you think that energy goes? It goes straight down the car frame rails and  up through the bottom of the seats.  In a rear end accident, the force drives the body up and back, loading the seat like a sling shot to throw the body forward.

Fox Chiropractic has over 50 yrs combined experience helping people recover from auto accident injuries. We have many different treatment techniques to best suit your particular needs. If you have been in an accident, contact our office to schedule your FREE evaluation. It is that important.

Fox Chiropractic Clinic

12395 SW 68th Ave - Tigard Triangle

(503) 431.2388

Whiplash Treatment - Portland OR

Whiplash, hyperflexion / extension injury, acceleration / deceleration trauma are often used to describe the same injury and are all typically related to a car accident. Invariably, patients want to know "How long is this going to take?" Here are some basic rules...

Muscles have a very good blood supply and will therefore recover form an injury in around 3-6 weeks

Tendons have less of a blood supply and recover from injury in approximately 2-4 months.

Ligaments have even less blood supply and often require 6-12 months OR MORE to fully recover. 

Clearly, even a low speed accident can cause muscle, tendon and ligament injuries. So the 8-10 mph impact may result in the need for fairly lengthy care. 

Fox Chiropractic Clinic is one of Portland's premier whiplash recovery clinic.

See our web site and schedule your evaluation today. The sooner you begin care, the sooner you get your life back.

Fox Chiropractic Clinic

Whiplash and Concussion

It happens every day. Someone isn't paying attention and in a split second... it's a really bad day!

This happened to a patient a few days ago and he is now recovering at with us at Fox Chiropractic. He was waiting to turn into a parking lot when a vehicle exiting the same lot slammed him. He didn't think too much about it for a few days until he developed a screaming headache. Although out of the norm for him, he went on about his business by using hand-fulls of over the counter meds. A day or so of this and his wife observed irritability, memory issues and loss of appetite. Something was very wrong. 

On examination, the guy could not hold his eyes steady. He could not track an object moving slowly across his visual field. He could not remember 3 easy words after 5 minutes and was very unsteady on his feet. Prime examples of mild traumatic brain injury / post concussion syndrome. 

The good news? He accepted care recommendations based on his neurologic presentation and is now well on his way to recovery fostered by drastic advancements in Chiropractic Functional Neurology.

Auto accident or whiplash? Fox Chiropractic Clinic is a great first place to be evaluated.

For questions about treatment possibilities, contact Dr. Crokin at 503.431.2388 

Whiplash Treatment - Portland

Whiplash Treatment

There are two questions most auto accident victims ask: 1) Can you help me? and 2) How long is this going to take? 

Here are some things to think about...

Muscles help us move, and therefore need huge amounts of energy. Because muscles have significant metabolic requirements, they have a very good blood supply which allows them to heal relatively quickly. Basic physiology dictates 3-6 weeks of care for a moderate muscle injury to heal properly.

Tendons attach muscles to bones and have less direct blood supply. Therefore, tendons necessarily heal more slowly. A moderate strain of a tendon can require 2-4 months of rehab.

Ligaments attache bone to bone. Because they do their job simply by being there and not actively contracting or relaxing, they have very little blood supply. This means tendons they are going to take a while to heal...6-12 months of rehab! 

Of course these time lines depend somewhat on the severity of injury but are based on anatomic / physiologic limitations of the human body.

At Fox Chiropractic, our providers understand these physiologic properties. We have gone to great lengths to ensure we have the knowledge and tools to position our clinic as one of Portland's premier whiplash recovery clinics. 

We know how you feel because we help people just like you every day. If you've been in an auto accident, the sooner you begin care at Fox Chiropractic the sooner you get your life back.

Call Now

(503) 431-2388

Fox Chiropractic

Portland Whiplash Treatment Center

Car Accident Neck Pain and Brain Injury

I recently treated of a guy who was involved in a front end accident. The air bag blew, blasted him back against the head rest so hard it broke. The impact of the air bag combined with hitting the head rest actually knocked him out briefly. When he come too and got out of the car he was so shaken up he vomited. 

Since then, his memory is fuzzy, concentration questionable, and of course his body hurts like hell. The thing is, he is dealing with a mild traumatic brain injury! He got his bell rung hard and typical chiropractic treatment would probably make him worse. 

We understand the delicate connection between brain and body. Doing too much for the body can overstimulate the brain and actually do more harm than good.

If you've been injured in an auto accident it's critical to be evaluated by someone trained to recognize more than the soft tissue / bone-out-of-place stuff. The ability to recognize subtle changes in brain processing is vital to your recovery and your settlement. Call today for your auto accident whiplash injury treatment. We're here for you.

Fox Chiropractic Clinic

(503) 431-2388

Whiplash Injury - Things To Think About

5 Things That Could Take BIG Money 

Out Of Your Settlement

1. Contributory Negligence.

Wear Your Seat belt! Here’s why… Because it will generally reduce the risk of injury. Not wearing your seat belt makes you more likely to hit the dashboard or steering wheel increasing the overall risk of injury. This would be considered “Contributory Negligence” and will likely reduce any settlement by around 25%! That could mean thousands of dollars never making it to your pocket.

 

2. Not having injuries documented.

Any settlement you may deserve is dependent on documentation. Your lack of medical “evidence” with result in a lack of “settlement.” 

3. Failing to good records.

Because the law allows you to be compensated for lost wages and other “related expenses,” make sure you keep track of this stuff. Any prescription medication, over the counter remedies, mileage, and anything else that might apply should be logged. Not doing so will make it extremely difficult to recover these expenses. 

4. Know your professional.

Although most attorneys and doctors do have your best interest at heart… some are just after the money. Know who you are dealing with. Get references / referrals, read reviews on them. You are evaluating them just as much as they are evaluating your case. 

5. How much of your settlement do YOU keep?

Does your “Professional” charge an up-front fee? Do they take a percentage of your settlement? If so, how much? Generally, an attorney will take your case only if they think they will win and not charge you up-front. Your doctor should do the same. ASK!

Any questions, call and ask Dr. Crokin directly. (503) 431-2388

Portland Whiplash Treatment Center
12395 SW 68th Ave
Portland, OR 97223