The Ripple Effect of a MVA Accident

The Ripple Effect of an MVA

Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) can act like a rock thrown into a pond. The patient takes the initial trauma, but the ripples of the accident affect everyone around them. At Chambers Medical Group, one of the highest rated car accident medical care facilities in Kentucky, we often see families overstressed and stretched thin after a crash. I have seen a patient limp in before with a broken foot that had been misdiagnosed. His wife was under maximal stress as they owned their own business, and it was up to him to keep it going. His kids were afraid to get back into a vehicle, and all the while he was still out working in appliance repair moving around on this foot. How does one MVA strain a household and what can you do? Dr. Aaron Workman of Chambers Medical Group talks about some of the ripples that come with an MVA and what expectations should be.

Physical Limits
Pain changes everything around the house. A dad with an injured back or broken foot cannot go out in the backyard and teach his kids how to throw a ball. He will not be carrying the kids up to bed at night when they fall asleep and picking up a baby can become impossible. A mom’s whiplash will make her job miserable and if she has a newborn the most enjoyable times of her life can be stained with the pain from an accident. Mowing the grass becomes someone else’s job; cooking dinner, doing dishes, or giving baths can make the neck and back unbearable. This leaves a lot of undone jobs around the house that are part of the ripple effect. These ripples continue even when the trauma has healed.

Mood Swings
An MVA can have a ripple effect past physical limits. Pain and fatigue can give everyone a very short fuse. A spouse can snap over things like a spilled drink that would typically be no problem. When a mom is suffering from fatigue and too tired to laugh, the kids may disengage from activities. It is common to hear a spouse talk about how things have been different since the accident. Stress from the crash will linger for longer than expected. Memories of the accident can ripple to every drive you take in the vehicle, even if it is just to get groceries or to a ball field. This type of atmosphere turns small fights into big ones in the home and during travel.

Money Worries
An MVA can ripple into your finances. Missed work means less money for bills or groceries. A vehicle that has been in an accident is going to need to be fixed or repaired. In this economy a used car can be as expensive as a new car and your insurance may not give the help you need. Medical bills can stack up even with insurance. Families can argue over what to cut or borrow, and the patient feels like the anchor dragging everyone down.

To avoid all the ripples, you must take the first step in getting checked out even if you initially feel ok. At Chambers Medical Group, we start with the patient. A proper examination can catch what pain can hide. By having an idea of your injuries and what their effects could mean, the amount of stress can be eased. Having a plan and understanding the possible ripple effects of trauma can help the entire household get through recovery together.

— This article is written by Aaron Workman, DC, one of the members of Chambers Medical Group’s team of car accident chiropractors who offer a variety of treatments and therapies ranging from diagnostic testing to various soft tissue therapies for car accidents and injuries in Kentucky.

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