Been in a Car Accident? Get the Care Your Body Actually Needs.
We provide thorough evaluation and chiropractic care for auto accident patients in Sacramento and Arden-Arcade, with careful documentation of your symptoms, examination findings and progress throughout care.
Request an AppointmentWhy Auto Accident Injuries Need Specialized Care
A car accident can affect your body in ways that aren't immediately obvious. Some people notice pain or stiffness right away. Others become aware of symptoms later that day or over the following days. If you initially felt okay and then developed symptoms that weren't there before the collision, that change deserves appropriate evaluation.
Related: Why Pain and Headaches Show Up Weeks After a Car Accident →Why Vehicle Damage Doesn't Tell the Whole Story
One of the most common misconceptions after a collision is that a vehicle with little visible damage could not have caused a meaningful injury. The appearance of the vehicle is not a medical examination of the person inside it. A vehicle's visible damage tells you something about the vehicle. It does not, by itself, tell you whether the person inside was injured.
That does not mean every low-speed collision causes an injury. It means vehicle speed or visible vehicle damage alone cannot tell us whether a particular person was injured.2
That's why we focus on the person, not simply the photographs of the vehicles. We look at how the collision occurred, what you experienced during the impact, when symptoms appeared, what changed afterward, and what we find during the examination. We then track those findings as care progresses.
1, 2 — See full citations at the bottom of this page.
Looking for general information about what to do after a car accident? Visit our Auto Accident Info Guide →
Preparation First
Most people picture a chiropractic visit as a quick adjustment and out the door. That's not how we work, especially with accident-related complaints.
Before an adjustment, we commonly use moist heat, targeted stretching and soft-tissue techniques to prepare the involved tissues when clinically appropriate. We then use spinal manipulation or other treatment approaches based on what we find during the examination.
The reason is simple: we don't want to treat a painful area in isolation without first considering the surrounding muscles, joints and movement patterns.
After treatment, we reassess and adjust the plan as the patient's condition changes. The goal is not simply to treat the location that hurts. It's to understand what we're finding, treat what is appropriate to treat, and monitor how the patient responds over time.
Conditions and Symptoms We Commonly Evaluate
Neck pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion and muscular discomfort following a collision.
Headaches that develop following a collision, including those associated with the neck.
Jaw pain, clicking, tenderness or other symptoms that develop after an accident.
Upper, mid or lower back pain, stiffness and movement limitations following a collision.
Pain, stiffness or reduced movement involving the shoulders or other joints.
Pain, numbness, tingling or weakness involving the upper extremities.
Pain, numbness, tingling or weakness involving the lower extremities.
Knee pain, stiffness or other symptoms following a collision.
Experience With Medical-Legal Evaluation
For nearly a decade, Dr. Donoghue served as a Qualified Medical Evaluator within California's workers' compensation system.
As a QME, he performed medical-legal evaluations of injured workers and prepared reports addressing medical issues within the workers' compensation process.
That experience shaped his understanding of the importance of accurate examination findings, clear medical documentation, consistency over time, and distinguishing a patient's reported symptoms from objective clinical findings.
That background informs how accident-related care is documented in the office today. Today, Wellness Spa of Arden is a treating practice. Our role is to evaluate patients, provide appropriate care, monitor their progress and maintain accurate clinical records.
What Happens at Your First Visit
Your first visit after an accident starts with a real conversation about how the accident happened and what's changed in your body since. From there, a thorough examination and a clear explanation of what we find, no pressure, no upsell. If care makes sense for your situation, we'll walk you through a plan. If something falls outside the scope of chiropractic care, or warrants additional medical evaluation, we'll recommend the appropriate next step.
Related: What to Expect at Your First Visit After an Auto Accident →When Additional Medical Evaluation May Be Appropriate
Not every problem after a collision is appropriate for chiropractic care alone.
If your symptoms suggest a condition requiring medical evaluation or another type of care, we will recommend the appropriate next step. Severe or worsening symptoms, significant neurological changes, loss of consciousness, a severe or worsening headache, suspected fracture, or other potentially serious injuries warrant appropriate medical evaluation.
This isn't meant to be an exhaustive emergency checklist. It's simply to make clear that we don't assume every accident-related complaint belongs in the chiropractic office.
Documentation That Tracks Your Care
When you're recovering from an accident, your medical record should accurately reflect what happened during the course of treatment. Depending on the patient's presentation, documentation may include:
- The accident history as reported by the patient
- Symptoms and when they appeared
- Changes in symptoms over time
- Physical examination findings
- Range-of-motion findings
- Neurological findings when clinically appropriate
- Functional limitations
- Treatment provided
- Response to treatment
- Progress and changes identified during follow-up visits
Good documentation isn't about building a case around a predetermined conclusion. It's about maintaining an accurate clinical record.
We don't determine legal liability or decide what an insurance company should pay. Our responsibility is to evaluate the patient, provide appropriate care, document our clinical findings and communicate appropriately with authorized representatives.
Working With Your Attorney
If you're represented by an attorney, we can communicate with the attorney's office and provide appropriate clinical records and documentation with your authorization.
Our role is straightforward: Examine. Treat. Document. Communicate.
We do not determine liability, negotiate settlements or provide legal advice.
If you don't have an attorney, that's okay too. You can still schedule an evaluation and begin appropriate care.
See Our Professional Referrals Page →Getting Started
We know scheduling matters after an accident. In most cases, we're able to see new accident patients same-day or next-day. We also maintain organized clinical documentation and can communicate directly with your attorney's office or insurance adjuster when authorized to do so.
Frequently Asked Questions About Auto Accident Injury Care
Do I need to see a doctor after a car accident if I don't feel injured?
Many people feel fine immediately after an accident and then notice symptoms later. An evaluation gives us a baseline to compare against if something changes.
What if my car has little or no visible damage?
Vehicle damage alone doesn't tell us whether you were injured. We focus on your symptoms, what you experienced during the collision, and what we find during the exam, not on how the vehicle looks. Research has documented injury symptoms even in collisions as slow as roughly 2.5 to 5 mph.
What if my pain started a day or two after the accident?
That's a common pattern. Delayed symptoms don't mean the injury isn't real or that you waited too long. We'll evaluate what's changed and go from there.
What injuries can you evaluate after a car accident?
We commonly evaluate neck pain, headaches, TMJ and jaw symptoms, back pain, shoulder and joint pain, and symptoms in the arms, hands, legs, or feet.
How soon should I see a chiropractor after a car accident?
There's no fixed rule, but earlier evaluation gives us a clearer picture of what changed and when.
Can I see a chiropractor if the accident wasn't my fault?
Yes. Whether you were at fault is a separate legal and insurance question. You can still seek an evaluation for injuries or symptoms following an accident.
What if the insurance company says my accident was too minor to cause an injury?
An insurance company's assessment of a collision is separate from a clinical evaluation. We assess your symptoms, history and examination findings rather than determining injury based solely on the amount of vehicle damage.
What happens during my first visit?
A conversation about how the accident happened and what's changed since, a thorough examination, and a clear explanation of what we find. If care makes sense, we'll walk you through a plan.
Do I need an attorney before I start treatment?
No. You can begin care whether or not you're working with an attorney.
Can you communicate with my attorney?
Yes, with your authorization we can provide appropriate clinical records and documentation and communicate directly with their office.
What information should I bring to my first appointment?
Any information you have about the accident, prior medical history relevant to the affected areas, and insurance or attorney contact information if applicable.
How is my progress documented?
We document your reported symptoms, examination findings, treatment provided, and how you respond over time, so your record reflects the actual course of your care.
What if I'm already seeing another healthcare provider?
That's fine. Let us know so we can coordinate care appropriately and avoid duplicating unnecessary evaluation.
What if I'm not sure whether chiropractic care is appropriate for me?
That's exactly what the first visit is for. If your symptoms suggest you need a different kind of care, we'll tell you and point you in the right direction.
Do you evaluate people injured in low-speed collisions?
Yes. Vehicle speed alone doesn't tell us whether a particular person was injured, which is why we evaluate the patient rather than relying on the apparent severity of the collision.
Get an Accurate Evaluation and a Clear Plan
Serving Arden-Arcade and the Greater Sacramento area since 1993.
Request an Appointment1. Brault JR, Wheeler JB, Siegmund GP, Brault EJ. "Clinical Response of Human Subjects to Rear-End Automobile Collisions." Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 1998;79(1):72-80.
2. Croft AC. "Low Speed Rear Impact Collisions: In Search of an Injury Threshold." Journal of Musculoskeletal Pain. 1996;4(4):39-46.