No matter whether you were in a rear-end collision or a car accident that left your car totaled, a car accident is a stressful event for anyone involved. After what you might consider a small car accident, you might be tempted to think it wasn’t that big of a deal and go about your day. However, even the smallest of car accidents can lead to emotional and even physical stress that can take a toll on your whole body. Even if you don’t have any obvious injuries from the car wreck, like cuts or bruises, you will still want to get checked out by a car accident doctor. When you search for a “car accident doctor near me”, you want to find a practice with highly skilled and knowledgeable doctors who put your health and well-being first. There are also things you can do from home to help take care of yourself after a car accident.
Here are 4 ways you can take care of yourself after an accident:
Visit a Car Accident Doctor
You might not realize you were injured in a car accident right away. That’s because the stress and trauma of the accident can get your adrenaline pumping through your body, which can actually temporarily mask any pain symptoms. Experiencing shock after a car accident can also prevent you from recognizing any signs of an injury. Car accident doctors know how to identify these hidden injuries and properly diagnose them so you can get the treatment and care you deserve.
Follow Through with Treatment and Care
Remember, signs and symptoms of a car accident injury may not fully appear for days after the initial incident, but the lingering effects can stay with you for a long time. If you brush off an injury as not that big of a deal, you run the risk of developing complications or even chronic pain that can be more difficult to treat later on. Many car accident injuries can negatively impact or even limit your mobility, like a broken bone or sprained joint. Your doctor may recommend stretches and exercises you can do from home to help build back strength and improve your range of motion in the affected area so you can get back to all the activities you enjoy.
Pay Attention to Your Nutrition
It is always important to stay hydrated throughout the day, but that is even more vital after you have been in a stressful event like a car accident. Think of all that shock and adrenaline that coursed through your veins and may have even left you shaky and overwhelmed. Drinking water will help to flush out toxins and also keep your bones, muscles, and soft tissues refreshed. Your body may respond to a car accident injury with swelling and inflammation in the area, and drinking lots of water can help nutrients to flow toward the area. This is also a great time to keep an eye on the foods you are eating and whether or not they are nutritious and benefiting your health.
Make Time to Rest and Recuperate
Take the time to slow down after a car accident and give your body a chance to jumpstart its natural healing abilities. When you make time to rest intentionally, you allow your body to address pain, swelling, and inflammation naturally while you sleep. A stressful event like a car accident can also cause you to experience extreme fatigue, which may be your body’s way of asking you to slow down for a bit.
Even if you don’t think you’ve been injured, a car accident doctor can complete a thorough assessment to make sure your shock and adrenaline aren’t masking something more serious going on. Whiplash is the most common accident injury and it can be tricky to realize you have it because the symptoms can take hours and even days to fully appear. However, a car accident doctor can perform a physical exam, listen to how the car accident affected you, and may even perform diagnostic imaging tests to rule out other injuries.
If you are looking for a car accident doctor near you in Conyers, visit AICA Orthopedics and meet with one of our car accident doctors today!