“Persistent pain in neck. Should I visit a doctor?”

I would absolutely visit my chiropractor for an evaluation. Getting a DO on board is also helpful in accident injuries. Every doc will have their own way or evaluating and treating, but the most important thing is that you understand what’s wrong and the path they’re going to take to help you get well. Common treatments from a chiropractor might include: spinal adjustments, electrical muscle stimulation, rehab exercises, and even massage (by a massage therapist).

Depending on how your neck pain is affecting your abilities, i.e. sleep, thinking, functioning during your normal activities of daily living, you may consider (if you haven't already) seeking the advice of your PTP under your health insurance. Medication can help to initially take address some of the symptoms. Imaging or other special studies may be recommended depending on your history of symptoms, namely, the presence of weakness, numbing or tingling which travels, etc. It is always a good idea to research conservative approaches for the allowance of supporting your body's abilities for self healing and then seek out additional opinions that make sense to you. Outlining some questions to ask a potential professional you feel may be able to support your condition should be more than willing to help you understand what they offer and their approach so that you can make a more informed choice.

Yes. You should see a doctor. You may have a whiplash injury. The doctor may take x-rays of your neck. I would do an examination to confirm the whiplash and treat you accordingly.

Chiropractors are very qualified to examine and treat neck injuries. So, for persistent pain in your neck you should seek chiropractic care.
Most likely the chiropractor will take xrays since your pain stemmed from the trauma of an auto accident. You will be examined and an appropriate course of chiropractic treatment will be recommended. The sooner you seek help the faster you will get better.

The three most common ways to treat this type of injury are seeing a medical doctor who is going to prescribed pain meds and anti-inflammatories, physical therapy and chiropractic.

My experience in treating these types of injuries is that medication is helpful in treating the symptom, but doesn't address the underlying cause therefore the symptom returns when the medication wears off. Physical therapy is good for rehabbing the muscle and ligament strains/sprains that are involved. The main problem that these two do not address is the disruption of the normal biomechanical function and alignment of the spine created by the injury. If this is not corrected it can lead to the development of a chronic long lasting condition that can only be maintained. Research studies show that chiropractic treatment is most effective for these injuries.

If this has been going on for four weeks the longer you wait to seek treatment the worse it will become and the longer it will take to correct. Remember, the symptom is just a side affect of the cause. Treat the cause alleviate the symptom.

Yes, see a Chiropractor who has a long background in accident care

An MD is likely to prescribe; medication, X-ray or MRI, recommend Physical Therapy, or recommend Chiropractic care. Chiropractors deal with cases similar to yours all the time and are very good at reducing you pain with their therapy. I would also recommend getting a Cervical X-ray Series to make sure nothing serious has happened as a result of the accident.