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Yesterday I had a car accident when I was rear-ended at a stop light. I'm wondering if I should still go to the emergency room for a check up?

There are several ways to follow-up after a car accident. A medical exam is always a good idea to rule out fracture or neck injury. The first 24-hours is often the best time to do this. Early treatment for soft tissue injury may help prevent future problems.

Call your doctor and ask his or her best advice as to your next step. Emergency room visits are often much more expensive than an appointment with your medical doctor.

Reference: 

Robert J. Brison, MD, FRCPC, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Educational Intervention to Prevent the Chronic Pain of Whiplash Associated Disorders Following Rear-End Motor Vehicle Collisions. In Spine. August 15, 2005. Vol. 30. No. 16. Pp. 1799-1807.

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