Being in a motor vehicle accident is stressful. Not only is your vehicle probably damaged, but you have to file an insurance claim and more than likely miss work. You may also have sustained injuries, and depending on the severity of the crash, some might be serious. Even with minor injuries, it is important to seek treatment. Whether you need emergency care or not, you would benefit from looking for physical therapy clinics near me, as PT can help significantly with injury recovery.
Everything You Should Consider After a Car Accident
The first thing after an accident is to move to a safe area, if possible. Once you have exchanged information with the other parties, talked to the police, and called your insurance company, you need to deal with any potential injury.
Assess Your Injuries
The first thing to do, even before getting out of the automobile, is to decide the extent of your accidents. If you suspect you’re significantly harmed, call 9-1-1 and live where you are.
If you believe you studied you may have been injured, however, the signs are not extreme, and you could need to wait till the crash scene is cleared. Then, you may determine if you think you should go to urgent care, make an appointment along with your scientific medical doctor, or see how your symptoms progress earlier than you’re making any choices.
Not All Symptoms Appear Right Away
Keep in mind that some symptoms are delayed by hours or even a day or two. Common delayed symptoms include:
- Headaches
- Neck, back, and shoulder pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Adbominal pain
- Personality changes
If you do not notice symptoms right away, but they develop later, you should see treatment for physical therapy Seattle.
Better Results with Immediate Care
The quicker you receive treatment for your injuries, the better you recover. Waiting often means the injury will take longer to heal, and you have an increased chance of developing chronic issues.
How Physical Therapy Can Be Effective in Your Recovery
Once you find physical therapy near me, the physical therapist will find out more about your symptoms and conduct a thorough exam. Based on the findings, he or she will recommend a treatment plan, which may consist of a variety of treatment methods. These methods may include:
- Stretching
- Manual therapy
- Hot and cold therapies
- Electric stimulation
- Ultrasound
- Restorative exercises
Your physical therapist may also coordinate your treatment with other healthcare professionals, such as a massage therapist. Physical therapy after an accident has numerous benefits. It reduces pain, increases range of motion, improves function, and restores proper body mechanics.
Many people seek PT shortly after an accident. However, if you received emergency treatment initially after the accident, your doctor may have you wait to see a physical therapist until your acute injuries have healed some.
Once they have, physical therapy is great for injury recovery, post-surgery recovery, and general healing. The length of your treatment plan varies based on your situation, and your therapist may give you exercises and movements to do at home to aid in the recovery process.
