Conditions
Car accident injuries
Reviewed by Dr Voula Roumel, Chiropractor , registered since 1987, AHPRA CHI0000942872
Last updated
Injuries from a collision often do not announce themselves on the day. Adrenaline and muscular guarding mask a great deal at the scene, and neck pain, headache and mid-back tightness commonly arrive a day or two later. That delay is normal and is the reason a lot of people are surprised by how they feel by the second morning.
After a significant collision, medical assessment comes first, an emergency department or your GP, to exclude anything serious. What happens here follows that, and deals with the musculoskeletal side of the recovery.
The paperwork matters as much as the clinical part
A TAC claim needs a claim number and the referral the scheme requires in place before the appointment. Treatment given beforehand is generally billed to you rather than the insurer, and that is far harder to reverse afterwards than to organise up front.
If the claim has not been accepted yet and you want to be seen, you can attend as a private patient and claim on your private health cover through HICAPS in the usual way. What is not possible is having those appointments billed back to the TAC later. Call the clinic on the number above and reception will tell you what the scheme needs.
What tends to present
- Whiplash, neck pain and stiffness from rapid back-and-forth movement, usually within the first 48 hours
- Headache starting at the base of the skull
- Tightness between the shoulder blades, and mid-back pain from the seatbelt and bracing
- Lower back pain, particularly with sitting or standing for long
- Reduced neck rotation, noticed first when reversing the car
- Numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm or leg, which is assessed promptly rather than watched
What the assessment covers
- A history of the collision, the type of impact, where you were seated, what you were doing at the moment of impact, and what has changed since
- A physical assessment of the neck, mid-back and lower back
- An orthopaedic and neurological screen
- A record of the findings, which is useful to have from the start where a claim is involved
- An explanation of what was found, before any treatment
What treatment involves
- Chiropractic adjustment or mobilisation, at a force appropriate to an acute injury
- Massage and soft tissue therapy for the muscular guarding that follows a collision
- Dry needling, where trigger points are involved
- Rehabilitation exercises, graded movement to restore range and confidence
- Advice on activity, because avoiding movement altogether tends to prolong the stiffness
Related
Neck pain and headaches and migraine go into more detail on the two commonest presentations, and there is a fuller account of the first steps in seeing a chiropractor after a car accident. Work injuries covers the equivalent WorkSafe process. Fees and every item code are on the fees page.
Frequently asked questions
What do I need before a TAC appointment?
A claim number, and the referral the scheme requires. Both need to be in place before the appointment, treatment given beforehand is generally billed to you rather than to the insurer, and that is considerably harder to unpick afterwards than to organise up front. Call the clinic and reception will tell you exactly what the TAC needs.
I feel fine after the crash. Should I still be checked?
Symptoms after a collision frequently arrive a day or two later rather than immediately, adrenaline and muscular guarding mask a good deal at the time. That is normal. What matters is that anything serious was excluded at the time, which is why an emergency department or GP assessment comes first after a significant collision. Once that is done, being assessed early gives a clear starting record and catches things before you have compensated around them for weeks.
Can I be seen before the claim is accepted?
Yes, as a private patient, claiming on your private health cover through HICAPS in the usual way. What is not possible is having those appointments billed back to the TAC retrospectively once the claim comes through. If you need to be seen quickly, that is the route, and it is worth understanding the difference before you book.
Is it too late if the accident was months ago?
No. Longstanding post-collision pain is common and is assessed on what it is doing now rather than on how long ago it started. The paperwork position is the same, if a claim is involved, the claim number and referral still need to be in place before treatment is billed to the scheme.
Will I need X-rays?
Only if the assessment finds a reason for them. Imaging is requested where it would change what happens next, to exclude a fracture or where the neurological findings warrant it, rather than routinely. If your chiropractor thinks imaging is needed, they will explain why before organising it.
Ready to book?
Appointments Monday to Saturday, with confirmation by SMS.