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How Long After An Accident Does It Take To Return To Your Normal Routine?

There’s no escaping the changes that happen after a car crash, even if it’s just a minor one. You’ll need to get your car to the shop and wait for repairs, get in touch with your insurance provider and wait for them to process your claim, and most importantly, you need to take time off and recover from any injuries. A single accident can put a significant hold on your once-ordinary life, but when does the waiting end?

Impact Medical Spring Hill is here to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. We’ll go over the process of accident injury recovery so you have an idea of when you can start returning to your normal routine.

Every Situation Is Different. Ask Your Doctor!

You won’t find a catch-all timeframe of how long it takes to return to a normal life after an accident. Some people might be over it by a couple of weeks, and others may need a few extra months. Many factors determine your estimated recovery time, like the gravity of the accident and the severity of your injuries. While we don’t have an exact answer for you in this article, we can help you know what to expect so you can determine a timeframe on your own before seeing a doctor.

Reviewing General Timeframes For Auto Accident Recovery

When it comes to common auto accident injuries, there have been enough cases to gather the data needed for rough estimates. Although you shouldn’t take these estimated time frames to heart, it can help to have a general idea of what to expect.

Take a look at these common car crash injuries and their estimated recovery times:

Whiplash – A few days to a few months
Muscle pain – Up to a few weeks
Sprains and strains – 6-8 weeks
Cuts and scrapes – A few days to a couple of months
Broken bones – A few weeks to 3 months

Of course, you should take these estimates with a grain of salt. Always go by what’s recommended by your doctor for your specific injuries. Your doctor will most likely suggest the right type of therapy to assist you after an accident, such as physical therapy or manual therapy.

When You Should Seek Urgent Care

Many accident injuries take time to heal, but there will be symptoms that require a sense of urgency. You will know to seek immediate help when you experience these vital signs:

Loss of function
Worsening pain
Injuries that won’t heal
Signs of infection
Trouble sleeping
Signs of fever
Drastic mood swings
Disruptions to your daily routine

Ways to Measure Your Healing Progress

Another way to tell how long it may take to return to normalcy is by taking note of milestones in your healing journey. You can take a mental note of improvements in your pain levels, mobility, and visual changes like rescinding cuts and bruises. You can also keep a journal to monitor the progress in your daily activities. If a certain task has become noticeably easier to do, write down the date and compare it to the day of your injury.

Let Impact Medical Help Guide You Through a Speedy Recovery!

Impact Medical Spring Hill has the expert care and comprehensive services needed to assist you with a speedy recovery so you can return to your normal routine as soon as possible. Give our staff a call at 352-631-6512 to schedule a consultation appointment and start seeing progress in your life after an accident!

What Should I Wear to Physical Therapy? Our Outfit Guide

So, you’ve scheduled your first physical therapy appointment—that’s great! As you consider questions about your treatment plan, don’t forget to think about an equally important question: what should I wear to my physical therapy appointments?

Your outfit choice has a big impact on your comfort—and the effectiveness of your session. Here are our practical tips to ensure you’re dressed for PT success.

Comfort Comes First

First things first: wear comfortable, breathable clothing that lets you to move freely. That pair of jeans that makes your legs look amazing? Save them for date night. Instead, think along the lines of what you’d wear to the gym or for a light workout.

Loose-fitting t-shirts, tank tops, or athletic shirts paired with shorts or sweatpants are perfect choices. For the ladies, a supportive sports bra can be helpful, especially if you’ll be doing upper body exercises.

Flexibility Matters

Your physical therapist might ask you to perform various stretches or exercises, so flexibility in your clothing is important. Avoid wearing anything too restrictive or tight. That old college sweatshirt with the stretched-out neck? Or those yoga pants that feel like a second skin? Perfect.

Consider Your Injury

If you’re receiving treatment for a specific body part, make sure your clothing allows easy access to that area. For shoulder issues, tank tops or sleeveless shirts work well. Knee problems? Shorts or loose pants that can be easily rolled up are ideal.

Don’t Forget Your Feet

Comfortable, supportive athletic shoes are usually your best bet. If you’re addressing foot or ankle concerns, your therapist might want to see how you walk, so bring the shoes you wear most often.

Layer Up

Physical therapy clinics can sometimes feel chilly, especially when you’re not moving. Bringing a light jacket or sweatshirt allows you to adjust your temperature as needed. Plus, you’ll be grateful for that extra layer when you’re cooling down post-exercise.

A Few Don’ts

While we’re focusing on what to wear, it’s worth mentioning a few things to avoid:

Jewelry: Leave those dangling earrings and chunky necklaces at home.
Jeans or Khakis: They restrict movement and make exercises challenging.
Dresses or Skirts: Unless you’re comfortable doing lunges in them (and if so, more power to you!), save these for another day.

Your Comfort is Our Priority: Experience Compassionate Care at Impact Medical Group

Feeling comfortable and prepared for your PT appointments is important for a successful recovery. The compassionate therapists at Impact Medical Group of Brandon prioritize your well-being—we want you to feel at ease during every session!

Ready to take the first step towards a pain-free, active life? Call us today at (813) 522-8885 to schedule your free medical evaluation. Let’s get you moving and living your best life!

Can Swelling Indicate Serious Injuries After An Accident?

There are a few things most people expect after they get hurt. Whether it’s a sprained ankle or a car accident, you can be sure you will most likely feel sore and stiff and experience some swelling. These symptoms are so common because it’s the body’s way to signal to you that something is wrong! Pain is a great indicator to pinpoint what area of the body is affected, and swelling is your body’s way of putting a cast around the wound to reduce movement and protect it from outside factors. In contrast, your body gets to work on healing it! But, if you can experience swelling even if an injury isn’t severe, is it really anything to worry about?

Physical Signs Of Swelling

While differentiating swelling from a minor injury to a severe injury can be difficult, there are a few things to keep an eye on. If you or a loved one is experiencing any one, or a combination of these symptoms, you should see a medical professional, immediately.

Quick onset of swelling

After an injury, it is normal for some slight swelling to occur days or even hours after an accident. But, if you’re injured and intense swelling begins within minutes to hours after the accident, it is usually a clear indicator that something is up.

Bruising

On top of the quick onset of swelling, keep an eye out for bruising or discoloration. If bruising occurs after an accident, that is an indicator that could mean you have sustained a fracture, torn ligament, or internal bleeding.

Numbness or tingling

After an accident, a clear indicator that you should seek medical intervention is numbness or tingling in the body. This can occur where the injury happens in the body, but it can often spread to other areas of the body as well. This can be an indicator of a pinched or damaged nerve, or nerve group.

Signs Of A Traumatic Brain Injury

Another type of swelling, that is considerably more dangerous, is swelling of the brain. Since it’s not as easy to spot as a swollen ankle or sprained wrist, it’s crucial you know the symptoms of swelling in the brain. A Traumatic Brain Injury isn’t something that should be ignored or put off, as it can lead to life-long complications. If you or a loved one are experiencing any of the symptoms below, seek medical intervention immediately.

Headache

If after an accident you get even a slight headache that persists for more than an hour, this could be a sign of a TBI. Most people think a headache needs to be pounding to raise some red flags, but after an accident, even a minor headache can be a warning sign.

Nausea or vomiting

A huge indicator of swelling in the brain after an accident is a queasy feeling. This can start immediately, or start a few days after an accident. But just know, if you recently experienced an accident, nausea is not an isolated event and you should seek medical care.

Slurred speech or blurred vision

This is a clear sign of severe head injury. When certain areas of the brain are compromised, they will stop working and start showing physical signs of this decline. Again, these symptoms can happen immediately, or after an accident occurs.

There are countless more signs and symptoms of swelling in the body from a severe accident, so come see us at Impact Medical Dade City so our team can analyze and monitor symptoms to find the best treatment for you or your loved one. Give us a call at 813-706-5156 today! With an incredible team by your side, your road to recovery can be made easier.

What Symptoms Are Treated With Interventional Pain Management?

Interventional pain management is one of our most popular practices here at Impact Medical! When our patients come in with chronic or severe pain and are looking to steer clear of pain medication for one reason or another, we find that Interventional Pain Management is one of the best routes we offer.

What is Interventional Pain Management?

Interventional Pain Management involves specialized procedures aimed at diagnosing and treating pain. While this approach is particularly useful for chronic pain conditions, it can be used to help with any pain symptoms. The reason Interventional Pain Management is so effective is because, unlike traditional pain medications, Interventional Pain Management targets the specific area of pain rather than a generalized pain treatment that can leave the whole body feeling relaxed and mind-altered. This approach is also minimally invasive which is another great reason our patients love these treatments.

Who Qualifies for Interventional Pain Management?

While IPM can work for almost everyone experiencing pain in the body, there are a number of specific cases where patients could benefit from Interventional Pain Management treatments. If you or a loved one has chronic pain issues, and have tried a number of treatments in the past only to be met with an unsuccessful outcome, Interventional Pain Management offers promising procedures that could help get you feeling back to your old self before the pain took over. Individuals who are avoiding pain medication, for any reason, usually gravitate towards IPM treatments as they are less invasive than surgery, and only target certain points in the body rather than leaving the whole body feeling numb or inebriated.

What Symptoms Are Treated with Interventional Pain Management?

While IPM can treat a countless number of symptoms and conditions, there are a few key symptoms that we recommend IPM for:

Chronic back & neck pain – Persistent pain in the lower back, mid-back, or neck, often radiating to other areas like the arms or legs, also known as sciatica.
Arthritis pain – Joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion, often in the knees, hips, shoulders, or hands.
Neuropathic pain – Burning, tingling, or shooting pain, often due to nerve damage from conditions like diabetes, shingles, or injuries.
Cancer pain – Pain due to tumors pressing on nerves or other structures, or pain resulting from cancer treatments.
Headache and migraines – Chronic, severe headaches or migraines that are unresponsive to medication.

If you or someone you know has lived in a painful state for some time, and are looking to get back to their normal lives, pain-free, please give us a call here at Impact Medical Sun City so our team can get you feeling right! We have years of experience handling chronic pain patients or those looking to avoid pain medications. A pain-free life is within your reach!