3 million people get injured in car accidents every year.
Injuries from auto accidents range from basic aches to lifetime disabilities. While an accident takes only a few seconds, the resulting injuries can take weeks, months, or even years to recover from.
Nonetheless, the kind of care you receive after a car accident injury determines how well and how fast you recover.
As such, it is imperative that you commit to a well-planned recovery program to give you the best chances of making a safe and speedy recovery.
Getting injured can mean a long process of rehabilitation. Here are tips to recovering from an auto accident injury as quickly as possible.
Tips for Recovering from a Car Accident Injury
Since injuries resulting from a car crash are usually specific to that accident, there is no definite timeline for how long you might take to heal. By following these tips, however, you will enhance your rate of recovery.
1. Accept the Shock
No one is ever prepared for an auto crash. This is why most people usually come out of one in a shocked state.
It is, therefore, perfectly normal to feel this way. Your body has released massive amounts of adrenaline to help you through the terrifying situation.
As such, you may take a while to return to a balanced state. Give your body time to relax while attempting to breathe deeply and slowly to calm yourself down after calling a top towing company like Car recovery London, your car insurance company, and maybe the police and/or your lawyer. This will allow you to think logically about your next steps.
2. Seek Care
There are a lot of injuries that can result from an accident, both superficial and internal. It is, therefore, crucial that you pursue treatment for any possible symptoms you might be having.
Ignoring certain symptoms or injuries can result in those injuries becoming more serious.
Additionally, ignoring some symptoms can make you seem less injured. This can put the kind of compensation you deserve at jeopardy.
After seeking medical attention, ensure that you religiously follow through on all treatments. Skipping doctor appointments or not properly following through on treatments can impact your recovery.
3. Chiropractic Care
This is an alternative car accident treatment method that is a popular choice for many people. It involves non-invasively manipulating the spine so as to realign it. This reduces pain significantly while promoting healing without having to seek surgery.
Additionally, chiropractic care is able to identify injuries that are neither visible to the naked eye nor X-ray.
These micro-tears in muscles and ligaments are typically what cause the most pain. Chiropractic care is effective at addressing such injuries and restoring function.
4. Utilize Heat
While recovering at home, pain will come sporadically. During those moments, it is important to apply a thermal wrap or heating pad on the aching area.
Heat blocks pain receptors to sooth the injured tissues. Additionally, it enhances blood flow to the trouble spot. This helps in flushing away excess fluid to reduce swelling.
5. Look Into Essential Oils
Essential oils refer to a distillation of volatile aromatic compounds from certain flowers and herbs. These oils are popular in massage and aromatherapy treatments as they promote well-being and relaxation.
Some oils, such as those derived from peppermint and rosemary, are commonly used to fight inflammation surrounding injured tissue. Be sure to consult an expert before using any essential oil to ensure you use them correctly.
6. Rest
It is when you are sleeping that your body goes into recovery mode. It uses that time to perform maintenance and regenerate damaged tissue. Additionally, your body releases hormones that stimulate growth and energy production.
This is why it is so difficult to function optimally when you are deprived of sleep.
As you can imagine, such rest becomes even more critical while you are injured. The body is not only trying to perform routine maintenance but also work on your injuries as well. Ensure that you get as much sleep as you can.
7. Stay Hydrated
As you are probably aware, the bulk of our bodies consists of water. It is essential for all the critical body processes.
One of these processes is the formation of the plasma in our blood. When you are healing, the body needs as much blood as it can get to the trouble area to promote healing.
By drinking water, you will be aiding in blood production in addition to promoting other processes that indirectly assist in recovery.
8. Visit a Mental Health Professional
While most people often associate car accidents with visible injuries, the psychological trauma that follows an accident is a serious issue as well.
In fact, car accident victims are susceptible to getting Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—the same condition that affects victims of harrowing experiences such as violence and war.
It is, therefore, not uncommon for an accident victim to display signs of psychological distress such as insomnia, anxiety, or depression.
Unfortunately, emotional distress has been known to aggravate physical symptoms. As such, it is important that you consult with a mental health professional to help you address any resulting psychological issues.
9. Look Out for Emerging Problems
The initial diagnosis after the crash might not reveal the entire extent of your injuries. This might be due to heightened adrenaline levels that may cover up certain pains.
However, if not treated, those problems are bound to surface later on. As such, even after getting a full medical evaluation, always be on the lookout for pains you did not have during the evaluation.
Do not assume them to be related to the others.
10. Retain Legal Counsel
A car accident is, after all, a legal issue. However, the vulnerable state that you might find yourself in following the accident might make it difficult to follow through on the legal processes.
Nonetheless, you still need to get compensated if the accident was due to another person’s actions. Unfortunately, the claims process is not typically straightforward.
As such, you need an experienced attorney handling that business for you to ensure that your medical bills are paid for, and you're being compensated for all associated damages.
Getting Better
Auto accidents typically occur within the blink of an eye. Depending on the magnitude of the crash, what follows is usually weeks, months, or years of physical and psychological distress.
If you suffer a car accident injury, do not take it lightly even if it doesn't seem serious. Get examined by a medical professional and get the best possible treatment. An automotive accident doesn't have to ruin your life if you handle it right.
