How To Recover From Severe Injuries After Car Crash

Paramedic placing a cervical collar to an injured woman from car accident

You can’t fast forward your healing process after being involved in an accident. How long it takes to heal will depend on several factors, including but not limited to, any pre-existing health conditions, how well you’re complying and responding to medications, and the severity of your injuries.

If you’ve suffered severe injuries or you have medical conditions that worsen the impact of your injuries, then you’ll need to exert extra effort to nurse your body back to health.

This article will give you steps that you may take to recover from severe injuries after an auto accident.

  1. See A Doctor And A Lawyer As Soon As You Can

Car crashes can be fatal, so the first thing you do after being involved in one must be to seek medical attention.

The tricky thing is that you won’t always see all your accident injuries. So, just because you seem to have gotten out unscathed doesn’t eliminate the need for you to see a doctor. Symptoms from certain injuries like spine damage, whiplash, and concussions may take days or weeks before showing up. A doctor will check if you sustained any internal injuries and check the severity of external and internal impairments.

You want to avoid the avoidable. Taking too long to see a doctor could give room for internal bleeding, or you could develop chronic pain from the injuries.

Medical bills for serious injuries can get quite hefty and if you’re forking out money from your own pocket, you’re going to feel the huge dent or be unable to go through with medication altogether. If you are in Miami, you can simply dial 1-800-injured  and they will help you connect with the best personal injury lawyer who can start processing your accident compensation claim while you’re still recovering, thus ensuring you’re able to get all the medical attention you need.

  1. Find The Right Doctor

Doctors specialize, and the doctor you visit for mild illnesses will likely not cut it here. Your primary care physician (PCP) will typically not be adequately trained to diagnose and treat severe injuries such as soft tissue damage, fractures, concussions, trauma, to name a few.

For vehicular accidents, a doctor who offers spine and bone-related care will mostly be ideal in this situation. They’ll be able to rehabilitate you back to health in no time.

  1. Adhere To Your Treatment Plan

The road to recovery might not move as quickly as you hope, but your doctor is a professional, and there is a good reason why they recommended this long and slow route. It’s probably the only way to ensure you heal well and fully, so following your treatment plan is important.

It’s a good idea to:

  • Take some time off work and limit the amount of activity you participate in so your body can heal first
  • Take all your prescribed medication
  • Participate in recommended physical therapy
  • Do all the exercises your therapist recommends at home
  • Attend all follow-up check-up appointments with your doctor

If at any point you feel that something in your treatment plan just isn’t working, don’t just stop taking or doing that part of your medication. Discuss this with your doctor, and they will give their professional recommendations and be able to explore new treatment options.

  1. Get Enough Rest

You can’t be up and about like clockwork if you’ve suffered severe injuries on any part of your body. Even if you are on the road to recovery and small movements are permitted, try to limit them. Get as much sleep and rest as you can; you’ll notice how your pain and overall condition might improve. Furthermore, it can also help increase energy levels and improve your mood.

Related

Sleep helps reduce the level of stress hormones in your system. These stress hormones are responsible for internal inflammation and so getting enough sleep could give you some relief.

  1. Stay Hydrated And Eat Healthily

Yes, some of your healing does start in the kitchen. Give your body what it needs to win this fight. Limit the number of processed foods you take and opt for whole foods instead. Try also to eat your food fresh and with lots of vitamins and some protein. Even if you’re in a lot of pain and eating is the last thing you want to do, ensure that you have the proper amounts of food intake so your body has the fuel it needs for recovery.

Also, remember to drink as many fluids to help repair damaged muscles and tissues. Your doctor may also prescribe you to take an IV therapy, which helps to boost hydration levels and replenishes lost electrolytes. In addition to this, IV Therapy also works to repair cells and damage that may have been caused in the accident.

  1. Find A Good Support System

In addition to the physical injuries, it’s not uncommon to suffer psychologically after a car accident. Conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are quite common. An accident is a traumatic experience, and you will likely need mental support beyond the physical.

It’s a good idea to surround yourself with supportive family and friends while you recover. This support system will also help you with some daily activities to ease the pressure to do everything yourself, which can potentially slow your healing process.

But beyond this, you might also need professional help to help manage your emotional health. A professional counsellor could help you deal with psychological issues.  If you’re not sure who to call, ask your doctor for a recommendation or many.

Conclusion

Getting injured in a car accident is every driver’s nightmare. If you sustain serious injuries and are bedridden for a long time, it might get frustrating, and you could start thinking of the ‘perfect’ way to cut corners. But don’t. Now more than ever, you have to be cautious and do things recommended by health professionals.  The tips in this article will hopefully help you get on track to full recovery soon!

 

 

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