Recovering from a car accident isn't a walk in the park. It can be traumatic both physically and mentally, causing injuries that make it hard to perform everyday activities. Hurrying back to your usual lifestyle delays the healing process and can even worsen things. To heal fully, you must understand that recovery takes time, discipline, and care.
That said, recovery from accident injuries can take weeks or months. However, it still depends on several factors, such as the extent of the injury, your compliance with medication, your age, your health before the accident, diet and exercise habits, support system, amount of rest obtained, and how prompt you sought treatment. While we can't answer how long your recovery process will take, we can offer some strategies to help you quicken the healing process. Take a look!
1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately After The Accident
Many people avoid seeking medical care when their injuries aren't severe. However, not all injuries are visible at the time of the accident. Pain and symptoms from whiplash, concussions and spine damage may take several hours or days to show signs. That's why it's advisable to go for a check-up immediately after an accident, even when you don't have any visible injuries.
Delaying to seek medical attention increases the risks of worsening the injuries and lengthens the recovery period. Additionally, untreated conditions like herniated spinal discs and whiplash can result in chronic pain in the future, while internal bleeding and concussions can be fatal or cause permanent brain damage.
Seeking medical attention after an accident is crucial in case you want to file a lawsuit. Your motor vehicle accident attorney can use the doctor's medical records displaying your injuries as evidence in the courtroom or during an insurance claim.
Without the medical records, it can be challenging for your attorney to get you compensated, so you must have your doctor document everything. Raphaelson Law writes helpful and informative content about common car accident injuries that you may want to check out.
2. Follow The Prescribed Treatment Plan
The treatment process can be boring, long, and slow. The only way you can ensure full recovery is by avoiding shortcuts and following the recommended treatment plan to the latter. It may include:
- Take all medications as prescribed by your doctor
- Taking time off work to get plenty of rest
- Staying hydrated
- Avoiding strenuous activities
- Engaging in physical therapy
- Attending doctor's appointments for regular check-ups
If the recommended treatment is not working for you, don't just stop following the plan; consult your doctor for a better treatment plan that'll be more effective.
3. Manage Your Pain
Accident injuries may cause pain for several days, weeks, or months after the accident. It can cause you to feel angry, frustrated, hopeless, and less motivated to follow your treatment plan and other steps to recovery. That's why you must find ways to help manage your pain and facilitate healing.
Some proven ways to manage your pain include taking over-the-counter medications, taking enough rest, and using cold or hot compresses. Massages may also reduce sore tendons, muscles, and ligaments, while spinal decompression can manage lower back and neck pain. If the pain is so severe that it disrupts your usual activities or the ability to sleep, consult with NJ spine specialists who can prescribe other pain treatment options and offer specialized care.
4. Get Plenty Of Rest
Sleep and rest are crucial aspects of the recovery process. During sleep, blood flow to your muscles increases, promoting tissue and muscle repair. Furthermore, your body's stress levels drop during sleep, which helps promote healing and reduce inflammation. You should get adequate rest after an accident to give your body enough time to recover and avoid mishaps in the future. Specialists suggest that not giving your body enough rest significantly extends the recovery period by months.
5. Start Exercising And Stretching
As stated earlier, hurrying back to your daily routine can delay the healing process or even ccauseuse more damage. However, gradually performing light exercises and stretching can help quicken the healing process by slowly regaining balance, endurance, flexibility, and a full range of motion. Regular exercise and stretching prevent your joints from being weak and stiff and help reduce pain and inflammation from your injuries. To avoid over-exercising and stretching, it's advisable to consult a physical therapist to prescribe the amount of exercise that suits you. The therapist will assess you and develop a personalized exercise routine.
Conclusion
Recovery from a car accident is a long and slow process that can be boring, annoying, and frustrating. As such, you need to be patient and avoid comparing yourself with others; your body is unique and will heal differently. However, consult your doctor for advice if the recovery process is painful or unbearable.
