What to Do With the Pain After a Car Accident?

Have you recently been in a car accident and are struggling with pain? So you should not hesitate to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Car accidents cause a variety of physical injuries and pain symptoms that you can feel after.

It can involve muscle pain, neck pain, back pain, and more. These injuries have a powerful impact on a person’s daily life. The pain can be debilitating! Dealing with pain after a car accident can be a frustrating experience. So it’s vital to know what steps you should take to manage it. And with our help, it will be very easy!
In this blog post, we will discuss what to do with the pain after a car accident. You will learn about therapies for managing pain and when to seek medical attention. Understanding how to manage your pain helps you get back to your normal life more quickly. Just read on to know more about what you can do to find relief!

Why Do You Have Muscle Pain After a Car Accident?

Muscle pain after a car accident can be caused by whiplash or seat belt injuries that require medical attention. Muscle pain is a common complaint after a car accident. The force of a collision can cause your body to jerk in unnatural ways. It results in injuries to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These soft tissue injuries can be painful and take weeks or even months to heal.

Strains and sprains often cause muscle pain after a car accident. A strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon, while a sprain is an injury to a ligament. Both can cause pain, swelling, and limited mobility.

Whiplash is another common cause of muscle pain after a car accident. This injury occurs when the head and neck are jerked back and forth in a sudden, forceful manner. Muscle strain and sprain can cause pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders.

In some cases, muscle pain after a car accident is a symptom of a more serious condition. For example, it can be a herniated disc or spinal cord injury. It’s essential to seek medical attention if you experience persistent or worsening pain. A doctor can recommend stretching and strengthening exercises. They will help you regain mobility and prevent future injuries.

How to Relieve Pain After a Car Accident? 

First you can try rest and ice, if the situation worse then you need physical therapy. Here is a more detailed list of the top 5 ways to relieve pain after a car accident:

1. Rest and ice. Rest is vital for healing. Applying ice to the injured area helps reduce swelling and inflammation. You can use an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables wrapped in a towel for about 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
2. Over-the-counter pain medications. NSAIDs like ibuprofen can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Always follow the recommended dosage on the label. Consult your doctor before taking any medication.
3. Physical therapy. A physical therapist help you improve your range of motion, strength, and flexibility through exercise and stretching. 
4. Chiropractic care. Chiropractors use spinal adjustments and other techniques. They will help relieve pain and improve function. They can also recommend exercises and stretches. They help keep the spine healthy and prevent future injuries.
5. Massage therapy. Massage reduces pain and muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. A licensed massage therapist use different techniques to target specific areas of pain or tension. Let’s consider these treatment approaches in more detail:

Rest and Ice

This is widely used method for reducing car accident soreness and inflammation. Resting allows your body to heal, while ice helps reduce swelling and discomfort. When used together, they can be a powerful combination for pain relief. But how to apply this method? 

• First, you should take a break from any strenuous activity. 
• Next, you should apply ice to the area, usually for 15-20 minutes at a time, several times a day. You can use a bag of ice or a cold pack wrapped in a towel.

It’s critical to avoid direct contact between the ice and your skin, as this causes frostbite. Instead, use a towel or cloth to act as a barrier between the ice and your skin. You can also use a heating pad or warm towel after the first few days to help with any remaining pain or stiffness. 

Over-the-Counter Pain Medications

Over-the-counter pain medications help alleviate body aches after a car accident. NSAIDs, such as naproxen, are commonly used for this purpose. They work by blocking the production of prostaglandins. 

These are substances that cause pain and inflammation in the body. Acetaminophen is another type of over-the-counter pain medication that help. It is necessary to use these medications as directed. Overuse or misuse lead to harmful side effects. They include:

• stomach ulcers
• liver damage
• kidney problems

Those with certain medical conditions should avoid NSAIDs. Such conditions involve kidney disease or a history of stomach ulcers. Speak with your doctor about alternative pain relief options.

Physical Therapy

It is an effective method for relieving pain after a car accident. This treatment typically involves exercise and manual therapies. They help:

• reduce pain and stiffness 
• improve the range of motion

A physical therapist will assess your specific needs. They will develop a program tailored to your individual needs and goals.

During your physical therapy sessions, you can engage in exercises that strengthen your muscles and improve your flexibility. Manual therapy techniques improve your mobility and reduce pain. It can be massage and joint mobilization. 

Your physical therapist can also incorporate other therapies. They involve ultrasound, electrical stimulation, or heat therapy to help manage your pain and promote healing.

Chiropractic Care

It is a type of alternative medicine. It focuses on the relationship between the structure of the body, particularly the spine, and its function. Chiropractors use a hands-on approach to diagnose, treat, and prevent disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, including herniated discs resulting from a car accident. 

The treatment usually involves spinal manipulation or adjustment to correct misalignments or subluxations that cause pain or discomfort. Chiropractic care is often used with other treatments, for example

• Physical therapy
• Or pain medication

Some people experience immediate relief after a single chiropractic session. But it takes some sessions to achieve body aches relief improvement after a car accident. Chiropractors can also recommend lifestyle modifications. They include exercises or nutrition, to promote healing and prevent future injuries.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy is a non-invasive approach to pain management. It relieves pain and stiffness in the body after a car accident. Massage helps increase blood flow. It promotes healing by reducing muscle pain after a car accident. A massage therapist uses various techniques. For example, it can be: 

1. Swedish massage
2. Deep tissue massage
3. Trigger point therapy

Last one can target specific areas of pain and tension. Depending on the severity of the pain, a massage therapist recommends a series of sessions to help the patient achieve long-term relief. Regular massage helps prevent chronic pain. 

Massage therapy should only be performed by a licensed and trained professional. Patients should consult with their doctor before starting any new treatment.

When do You Need to Call a Doctor to Relieve Body Aches After a Car Accident? 

After a car accident, it is not uncommon to experience body aches and pains. However, in some cases, these aches and pains can be a sign of a more serious injury. It is essential to to seek medical attention if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Severe car accident soreness that doesn’t go away. It can be a sign of a more serious injury of a herniated disc or a spinal cord injury.
• Numbness or tingling. These symptoms in your arms or legs signal nerve damage. It can be a serious injury that requires medical attention.
• Headaches or dizziness. Do you experience headaches or dizziness after a car accident? It can be a sign of a concussion or another type of head injury.
• Limited range of motion. If you are unable to move your neck or other parts of your body, it can signal a more serious injury, such as whiplash.
• Changes in vision or hearing. Changes in your vision or hearing after a car accident can signal a head or other serious injury.

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is vital to seek medical attention right away. The study reports that in 37 percent of cases, individuals’ chronic pain was associated with traffic accidents. 

Don’t let the pain turn into a permanent one – see a doctor! A doctor will evaluate your condition. They will provide the appropriate treatment to relieve your body aches. Also, they will give recommendations to prevent any further complications.