Car accidents often leave victims with devastating injuries that may take a lot of time to heal. Sometimes, the medical treatment enough may not be enough to offer the needed treatment. You may need to undergo different types of therapy and medical techniques to gain complete healing.
If your injuries take a lot of time to heal even after undergoing the necessary treatment, you may need to seek the services of physiotherapists.
The professionals have the necessary tools and techniques that work for many types of injuries, including back, neck, limb, and whiplash injuries.
Here are three types of therapies you may need after a car accident to gain faster and better healing.
1. Massage Therapy
Massage is the most common type of therapy that car accident victims receive. Massage helps loosen the muscles in the body and relieve stress.
It can help your body relax and help it get ready for other therapies, such as chiropractic manipulation.
Massage is mostly used in whiplash injuries because this is where the muscles get stiff, and movement becomes a problem.
A good massage can improve your range of motion by loosening all the stiff muscles in the body.
In addition, a good massage can be a stress reliever. When your mind and body relax, you become less stressed, and this will significantly contribute to psychological healing.
Remember, the trauma after the accident is often overlooked, but a good massage can heal it.
Accident victims need two types of massage;
- Deep massage: Deep massage involves the application of deep pressure with slow strokes to go deep into the muscles and tissues. Deep massage professionals have comprehensive knowledge of muscle directions and tendon attachments and can effortlessly access troubled areas.
- Trigger point massage: Trigger points are sore and painful areas of the muscles. When pressure is applied to these areas, you may feel pain in a different body part. This massage focuses on providing relief to trigger points by flushing out waste and pumping fresh blood to the affected area.
2. Chiropractic Therapies
When you suffer a traumatic accident, you might lose your spinal alignment, interfering with your motion. Your back, neck, and pelvis muscles may be affected, resulting in a lot of pain and loss of range of motion.
Chiropractic care involves two processes called manipulation and adjustment. It involves using controlled force to re-adjust the vertebrae to relieve the pressure on the spinal nerves.
Chiropractic care is characterized into two groups, namely: modalities and manipulations.
- Manipulation: This type of chiropractic therapy involves popping joints to reduce gases. The therapy helps relax muscles and reduce pain which then results in the patient gaining mobility.
- Modalities: Modalities are joint adjustment procedures that involve different techniques such as spinal traction, soft tissue mobilization, ultrasound, and electric nerve stimulation.
Chiropractic care doesn’t just end with the two methods above. Chiropractors also recommend various lifestyle changes, such as exercise, that supplement chiropractic care to hasten healing.
3. Neurological Physiotherapy
If you suffer a neurological injury after an auto accident, your doctor will recommend neurological physiotherapy. Signs of neurological injury include pins and needles, numbness, and weakness. Neurological damage occurs when you suffer whiplash or head injuries during an accident.
Injuries from neurological damage may seem mild, but they’re one of the most dangerous ones. If not treated properly and followed by good therapy, neurological injuries can have a long-lasting impact on the victim.
Neuro programs simply incorporate some exercise and techniques to improve movement, manage spasticity and pain, and maintain physical strength. It starts by testing the brain to ascertain its overall and specific functions.
By understanding the brain, the neuro therapist can adopt a suitable treatment plan for the victim.
This therapy helps patients recover quickly and regain their cognitive and functional abilities. Patients can also reach their personal recovery goals and return to living normal lives.
Why Should I Seek Physical Therapy After a Car Accident?
Physical treatments, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory medications may not be enough to provide the needed healing after a car accident.
It may take you a shorter period to recover from auto accident injuries if you supplement physical treatment with therapies.
Here are some reasons you should seek any of the three therapies above.
Faster and Better Recovery
You’ll not only recover faster if you attend physical therapy but will also achieve better recovery. The therapies help prevent the long-term effects of the accident.
You might think you won’t walk again after a car accident, but with therapy, you’ll gain strength and range of motion.
Improves Your Mental Health
These therapies not only help with physical therapy but mental health as well. The therapies help reduce stress and post-traumatic trauma that comes after an accident. With a relaxed body and mind, you’ll be sure to recover both physically and mentally.
Reduce Reliance on Drugs
Physical pain that comes after an auto accident injury often causes patients to overly rely on painkillers and other over-the-counter medications. Physical therapy may help relieve the pain faster, so you won’t have to rely on painkillers.
Prevent Further Damage
Physical injuries, if not well-treated, can escalate and affect other areas which were not injured initially. The pain and trauma can also cause many emotional issues. With therapy, patients will recover on time and prevent any further damage from occurring.
Bottom Line
If you get injured in an accident, you need to seek immediate medical attention.
If you’re not able to recover right away and have to deal with long-term repercussions such as chronic pain, loss of strength, limited range of motion, and emotional trauma, you need to undergo physical therapy.
Various therapies, such as massage therapy, neurological therapy, and chiropractic care, will help you recover faster and better.
The good news is that you can get compensation for the costs associated with any of the above therapies if someone else causes the accident.
Ensure you get your therapist’s report and work with an experienced attorney to file a physical injury claim.
