Accidents & chiropractic

Roughly three years ago the BC Chiropractic Association and ICBC entered into a joint program that allowed for quick access to much needed care for people injured in motor vehicle accidents. Individual chiropractors were given the option of enrolling in this contract and offering it to car accident victims. The program is being renewed for July 2015, and as someone who has participated in the program, I believe that it has been very beneficial for patients.

The highlights of the program from a patient perspective are:

 

1.  Immediate access to chiropractic following an accident to begin treatment.

The damaging effects of injuries such as whiplash are much more successfully managed with early care.

 

2.  No out of pocket expenses.

In contrast to physiotherapy and massage therapy, which have a co-pay arrangement, the chiropractic program allows patients to receive care at no cost. ICBC directly reimburses the chiropractor.

 

3.  No waiting.

You do not need approval from your ICBC adjustor or a referral from any other medical provider. If you were injured in a car accident and you have a claim number, you are automatically eligible for care. This also applies to people who were deemed at fault in the accident.

 

4.  No conflict with other providers.

Injuries such as whiplash-associated disorders are often best treated with a multidisciplinary approach. Choosing chiropractic care as a starting point does not mean you can’t also be treated with physical therapy, massage or other forms of registered treatment. At Momentum Health, we often collaborate across health care disciplines to best manage patient care.

 

At Momentum Health in Kelowna we treat many muscle and joint injuries related to motor vehicle accidents. We also work with attorney should you choose to retain one. Our approach starts with a detailed history and assessment of your current and past injuries. The assessment includes a range of orthopaedic, neurological and functional tests to determine what the main problems are and the best way to approach it.

The chiropractic care at Momentum Health can involve many different techniques and is not all just “cracking”. We employ Active Release Techniques among other soft tissue approaches as well as specific rehabilitation movements to allow our patients recovery from injuries quickly as possible.

If you have any questions regarding treatment with regards to a motor vehicle accident, don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected].

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.