So it happened. You were in a car accident. Now what?
After calling 911 and deciding whether to go to the hospital, what do you do? Go to work tomorrow? Call your doctor?
As a chiropractor who treats car accident victims every day, I recommend that you call a chiropractor immediately to set up an evaluation. Even if you do not feel pain right away, once your adrenaline level goes down, you could start to notice stiffness and swelling that comes after a whiplash injury or sprain. Pain could set in and make life that much harder. 
It is important to identify issues early to start the healing process. Identifying the problem and addressing how to correct it, is one of the most important aspects of your accident. A chiropractor can do that for you, as well as connect you to outside resources, if necessary. If X-rays, or advanced imaging such as an MRI, are needed, they can be scheduled for you.
If muscle rehab, or additional pain management, is needed, a physical therapist or medical doctor can help. There are attorneys in the area who can help you deal with any legal issues resulting from the accident.
Seeking treatment is important, even if the accident is seemingly a small one. Because everyone is different, even the smallest accident could cause major issues later. A small fender bender might appear insignificant, but a slight amount of impact can cause neck pain, back pain, and headaches for weeks or months.
Reporting the accident and receiving care early are the best things you can do for yourself.
Dr. Andrew Payne is the owner/chiropractor at Lake City Chiropractic in downtown Acworth and is an active member of the Acworth Business Association.
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