5 Things to Do for Faster Car Accident Recovery
Being involved in a car accident can be an incredibly distressing experience, both mentally and physically. The trauma caused by the accident can leave victims feeling shaken and unable to return to their everyday lives. For many, the emotional impact is made worse by physical injuries.
Car accidents often lead to head, neck, and back injuries, such as contusions, whiplash, and spinal cord damage. Bone fractures and soft tissue injuries like tears are also quite common. Whether these injuries are minor or severe, recovery takes time—and often, support—to heal.
In this blog, the experts here at Alexander Orthopaedics offer tips to ease the road to recovery and help you heal sooner.
1. Seek Immediate Medical Care
Seeking immediate medical care is the first step in auto accident recovery. It’s easy to brush it off and try to carry on as usual, especially if you don’t feel any symptoms right away. However, some symptoms can take time to appear, so it’s important to get checked out even if you feel fine.
It can be tempting to downplay minor accidents, but even low-impact collisions can lead to injuries. While they might not cause severe harm, these accidents can still affect soft tissues, leading to problems like whiplash or shoulder injuries. The surge of adrenaline from the crash can also mask your pain, and internal injuries might not be immediately obvious.
A quick trip to the ER or a visit to your doctor can provide peace of mind by ensuring there are no hidden injuries.
Early treatment is critical to a full recovery. Your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) will cover medical expenses, no matter who’s at fault, so there’s no reason to delay treatment. In fact, postponing care might worsen injuries you’re unaware of.
What type of doctor should I see after a car accident?
Depending on the severity of your injuries or symptoms, heading straight to the ER after a car accident might be necessary. Even if you only have a few bumps and bruises and feel relatively okay, it’s important not to skip a check-up.
Visit your primary care doctor or an urgent care clinic for a thorough evaluation to ensure you’re truly in the clear. However, general doctors often refer car accident victims to specialists like orthopedic doctors, especially for injuries that require their expertise, such as back injuries or foot crush injuries.
Compared to an ER visit, an orthopedic appointment offers quicker access to specialized care. While ER doctors manage a wide range of emergencies, orthopedic clinics are staffed with specialists with extensive experience handling bone, muscle, and soft tissue injuries, providing more targeted treatment.
Your provider may refer you to other specialists for specific concerns. For example, a neurologist if you experience severe headaches or weakness after the accident. Meanwhile, a mental health specialist can help you cope with the emotional impact of the event.
Does Florida Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance cover my medical expenses?
Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance covers the medical expenses of the policyholders and their passengers, regardless of who’s at fault. However, if you live in Florida, you should seek medical treatment within 14 days of an accident. Failing to seek treatment within this period may forfeit your PIP benefits.
2. Rest and Listen to Your Body
Getting enough rest and limiting physical activity can help speed up recovery. Sleep increases the release of growth hormone (GH), which is crucial for tissue repair and regeneration. When you don’t stop doing your normal activities, you may overexert yourself and not give your body the time to recover.
How long after an accident can injuries show up?
The time it takes for injuries and symptoms to manifest after an accident varies depending on the severity and type of injury. Some may appear immediately, while others may take time.
For example, neck pain from whiplash may take several hours to develop, while headaches related to trauma might not emerge until several days later. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can appear instantly or may take days to weeks to manifest as the surrounding tissues are affected by the initial injury.
Aside from adrenaline rush, alcohol intoxication can also reduce a person’s sensitivity to pain, which reduces their awareness of injuries.
Can I go back to work right after a car accident?
Going back to work right after a car accident can slow down your recovery and even worsen your injuries. Take the time to rest, and do not return to work until your doctor approves.
3. Try Physical Therapy and Exercise
Car accident injuries can lead to more than just pain; they may also cause weakness, limited mobility, poor endurance, and stiffness due to damage to body structures.
Physical therapy (PT) plays a crucial role in speeding up recovery, restoring function, and preventing further injuries.
In addition to exercises done during PT sessions to target specific goals, regular physical activity can help speed up the healing process. Exercise increases circulation towards the injury, delivering blood and nutrients to help with the healing process.
Physical activity also encourages you to move, helping reduce inflammation and complications like scar formation and further injury.
How does physical therapy help after an auto accident?
PT uses a combination of modalities (e.g., heat, cold, ultrasound), exercises, stretches, and other techniques to address symptoms and injuries caused by the accident and help you get back to your feet. It can also prepare you for surgery, aid post-surgery recovery, and prevent complications.
Sometimes, accidents can result in conditions that cause disability, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). Physical therapy offers support by helping individuals regain as much independence as possible and relearn essential daily tasks.
How do I know when to start physical therapy after a car accident?
The timing for starting physical therapy after a car accident depends on several factors:
- Injuries and their severity: You may need to wait for your injuries to heal or for surgery to be completed before beginning PT.
- Recommendations from specialists: Your orthopedic doctor, surgeon, or other specialists will assess your readiness and advise when it’s safe and appropriate to start PT.
- Overall health: Your underlying conditions, general health, and fitness level may affect your ability to participate in PT
- Insurance considerations: It’s necessary to review your insurance coverage, as it may influence when and how much physical therapy you can access after an accident.
When can I start exercising again after a car accident?
It’s best to start exercising as soon as it’s safe, but not before your injuries have healed, as this could delay their recovery or lead to re-injury.
Ask for a go signal from your healthcare provider, and start with low-impact activities, gradually increasing the intensity as your body recovers and regains strength.
4. Maintain a Healthy Diet and Hydrate
Wound healing, even from minor injuries like sprains and strains, puts a lot of demand on your body, so fueling it with the proper nutrition is crucial for a smooth recovery. This becomes even more important if you’re facing surgery, where your body’s need for nutrients skyrockets to support tissue repair and overall healing.
Staying hydrated is just as important. Good hydration improves circulation, helps deliver nutrients to where they’re needed, and aids in removing waste. It also supports your body’s ability to fight inflammation, further helping your recovery.
How does diet impact my recovery after a car accident?
Proper nutrition is essential for rebuilding damaged tissue, speeding up recovery, reducing inflammation, and boosting your immune system. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins gives your body the support it needs to heal effectively.
What foods should I eat if pain medication is causing digestive issues?
Some pain medications can cause digestive issues like heartburn and stomach pain. Foods that reduce inflammation can help ease pain. These include leafy greens, fatty fish, nuts, and fruits. It’s also good to avoid or limit foods that cause inflammation, including:
- Refined carbs like white rice and foods made with refined flour like pizza and most breads
- Fried foods
- Sweetened beverages like soda
- Red meats and processed meats like hotdogs and sausages
5. Seek Mental Health Support
Car accidents are traumatic experiences. Recovering from one can take a huge toll on one’s mental health, especially when you’re dealing with injuries and other things, like car insurance and loss of work.
After a car crash, victims can experience mental health challenges like anxiety, distress, sleep problems, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some may avoid having to drive again.
While feeling shaken is normal after an accident, It may be time to seek help if you’re experiencing symptoms that start interfering with daily life.
How do you recover mentally from a car crash?
Recovering mentally from a car crash can take time. The first step to recovery is to acknowledge your feelings. It’s normal to feel anxious or distressed after a car accident. Recognizing these emotions and accepting your experience is important to emotional recovery.
Opening up to your friends and family can be helpful. It can also help to seek the help of a mental health provider who can help process the event and teach you strategies to help you cope.
Here are other things that may help:
- Practice self-care, like eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep
- Engage in mindfulness and meditation
- Get physically active
- Return to your routine
How can I deal with anxiety after a car accident?
Situations or reminders of the accident may trigger anxiety in the victim. Relaxation techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing, and progressive muscle relaxation can help calm the mind during these times.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can also assist in identifying and addressing the unhealthy thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that contribute to anxiety.
What are signs of PTSD from a car accident?
Drivers, passengers, bystanders who witness an accident, and even people who learn that a close family member or friend was a victim of a car accident can experience PTSD. Here are its signs:
- Flashbacks, recurring memories, or dreams about the accident
- Distress and strong physical reactions (such as a racing heart) when exposed to reminders of the accident
- Reluctance or refusal to drive
- Avoidance of car rides, driving, or situations related to the accident
- Physical signs of stress and heightened arousal, such as being easily startled or having disturbed sleep
How do you recover from shock after a car accident?
It’s normal to experience shock after being in a car crash. Everybody’s recovery is different, with some showing strong emotional responses like distress and anxiety while others don’t. For most people, these responses are brief and begin to reduce within days to weeks after the crash.
Other FAQs about Recovering from a Car Accident
How long does it take to recover from a car accident?
Recovery time can vary greatly from one person to another. Factors like age, overall health before the accident, the type and severity of the injury, and how quickly you received care all play a role. For some, recovery may take just a few weeks; for others, it could be months or even years before they feel fully back to normal.
What is the best treatment for back pain after a car accident?
The best treatment for back pain after a car accident depends on the underlying cause. Back pain can result from various injuries, ranging from mild sprains and strains to more serious conditions like disc damage or vertebral fractures.
Treatment options may include pain medications, physical therapy, corticosteroid injections, or, in some cases, surgery.
What medical treatments are covered after a car accident?
PIP coverage and other features vary by state. Here are some of the medical treatments generally covered by PIP insurance:
- Medical bills and expenses from the accident, including imaging, hospitalization, diagnostics and lab services, orthopedic medicine, ambulance rides, and surgery
- Rehabilitation costs, such as physical therapy
- Wages lost and replacement services for things you can no longer perform because of the accident, including childcare and house cleaning
- Funeral costs and death benefit
Similarly, health insurance policies cover necessary medical treatments related to car accidents, but the types of treatments covered and the extent of coverage can vary depending on the provider.
Discover the Key to Improved Car Accident Recovery with Alexander Orthopaedics
A car accident can be a life-changing, traumatic event. At Alexander Orthopaedics, we’re here to support your journey to healing and recovery. Our experienced orthopedic team at Alexander Orthopaedics specializes in diagnosing and treating auto accident injuries. With personalized care and advanced treatment options, we’re dedicated to helping you return to the activities you love. Take the first step towards recovery—schedule an appointment today.