What Helps Pain After a Car Accident?

Despite being something that many of us do daily in Wesley Chapel, getting behind the wheel of a car is one of the most dangerous activities that the average person participates in.

Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries in the United States, and those involved might experience a variety of pain and symptoms in the aftermath.

Knowing how to best treat your soreness and pain after an accident can be critical to expediting your recovery. Our team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel outlines the steps that you can take to deal with pain after an accident.

Common Car Accident Injuries

There are many different injuries sustained in car accidents, ranging from minor to life-threatening. Common types of accident injuries include:

Whiplash: This injury occurs when a person’s head is jerked forward and snapped back violently; like a whip cracking.
Back and Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries can result in various physical ailments including fractures, disc slips, and sprains or strains.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Brain injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in the United States, especially in accidents. Head injuries sustained in car accidents can range from minor to severe, depending on how hard the head is hit.
Fractures: Broken legs, ribs, arms, ankles, and wrists often occur in car accidents. Some people suffer from pelvic fractures, which require surgery to repair.
Shoulder Injuries: Shoulder injuries often occur when someone braces their hands against the steering wheel or dashboard during a car crash, causing the shoulders to absorb excessive force.

Treating Car Accident Pain

Pain is one of the most difficult things to deal with after an accident, but it doesn’t have to be debilitating. Here are the best ways to manage your pain and get back on your feet after an accident:

#1. Get Enough Rest

Resting can give your body time to recover; you were just involved in a traumatic event after all. While light exercise and therapy are important, you need to give your muscles time to rest and revolver from the damage they experienced during the accident.

It is also to take a break from work after a car accident to allow your muscles to recover. There is no set amount of rest you need, it will depend largely on the extent of your injuries, so listen to your body and don’t overdo it. Rest as much as possible.

#2. Stay Hydrated

Of course, water is extremely helpful to your muscles in general, but even more so when they are healing. Muscles that are not properly hydrated won’t function as they should, and you may experience cramps and tight muscles; which is no good when you are recovering.

Drinking water will help loosen up your muscles and help them heal more quickly.

#3. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be quite beneficial to your healing, especially for any kind of muscle injury. At Impact Medical Wesley Chapel, you will work with a therapist who will design a personalized routine for you, tailored to your injuries and goals.

The work you do in physical therapy might initially prolong how long your soreness lasts after an accident, but it will allow your muscles to heal properly and fully, making it worth it in the end.

#4. Visit a Chiropractor

Depending on the severity of the accident, those involved can experience pain and soreness anywhere from a few days to years afterward. A chiropractor can help determine the injuries and how to best relieve the pain.

Our chiropractors are trained in alleviating all kinds of pain and use techniques such as spinal manipulation, manual, and more to reposition areas of the head, shoulders, neck, and back to relieve pain.

#5. Manual Therapy

As you heal, manual therapy can relieve pain and encourage recovery in your muscles. This might include deep tissue manual, stone therapy, or general manual techniques.

It is important to share the pertinent details of your accident with your manual therapist so they do not perform any manual that will worsen your injuries.

#6. Stretch It Out

When your muscles are tense and stressed by a car accident, light stretching, or gentle yoga poses can help relieve the stiffness that might have built up.

When stretching, try to breathe as deeply as possible to boost oxygen in the body and improve overall muscle function. The combination of stretching and breathing will promote recovery while helping your muscles relax.

Relieve Pain After an Accident

If you are experiencing any kind of pain following an accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel as soon as possible. We offer various treatments and therapies such as manual, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and more that will help you on your road to recovery.

Don’t suffer from accident pain. Contact our accident care clinic at (813) 953-1002 today.