4 Therapy Options After a Car Accident
A car accident can have many devastating consequences on your life, from financial costs associated with the wreck to personal injury, which can range from mild to severe, depending on the accident.
As a result, there are many different options for therapy after a car accident, and determining which is best is more a question of the nature of the injury itself.
The affiliates of Complete Injury Management have years of professional experience dealing with the aftermath of nasty car accidents and we know exactly what to look for when assessing a pain treatment plan. Start by keeping the following post-accident injuries and therapy options in mind.
Neck Pain from Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries. It can result from a severe crash or a minor rear-end. Basically, when a vehicle is suddenly jerked, a passenger’s neck may jerk with it, possibly hyper-extending the neck. This results in general neck pain and headaches that can be alleviated through the use of braces and physical therapy. In severe cases, whiplash can also cause concussions or other major head injuries.
Possible Concussions & Other Head Injuries
Whiplash, or any other sudden motion resulting from a car crash, can cause your head to hit any number of items, from the headrest and steering wheel to other sides of the car’s interior. If you hit your head hard enough, you can suffer a concussion, which often results in the temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, blurry vision and constant headaches. You will want to see a brain injury specialist for potential therapeutic options.
Back & Spinal Problems
Back and spinal problems come in several different varieties, with many resulting from whiplash. In these cases, the spinal cord can be damaged during the accident, leading to a herniated or bulging disc in the back. If left untreated, these problems can grow quite painful, though physical therapy and other similar methods often do very well in alleviating symptoms.
Lower Extremity Injuries
Your legs are expected to take some damage because of a car accident. You should specifically be wary of structural damage to your legs, ankles and feet. This damage can range from a broken bone to a minor sprain, with pain similarly ranging based on the injury. As always, treatment options mostly depend on the kind of injury, but physical therapy is typically required, even if more advanced surgery is needed.
Additional Options for Therapy After a Car Accident
One thing to keep in mind about car accidents is that not all injuries show up right away. In fact, many injuries will not appear for several hours, if not days. It is therefore always important to visit a healthcare provider or physical therapist as soon after a car accident as possible to detect possible damage early and best formulate an efficient treatment plan.
For more information on how a physical therapist could help you or to learn about additional therapeutic options, contact a representative at Complete Injury Management to get started.
