Can Physical Therapy Help With PTSD After a Car Crash?

A car crash can result in several layers of trauma. Beyond healing the physical trauma and injuries, addressing emotional trauma is critical, too. It’s not uncommon for many car accident survivors to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

Often, the more severe the accident, the more severe the symptoms. While counseling and other forms of emotional therapy can relieve PTSD symptoms, what can physical therapy do? Here’s why many people experience PTSD after a car crash, and how physical therapy can help.

PTSD Is Common After a Car Accident

PTSD occurs when a person experiences a traumatic event, and car crashes certainly qualify. Survivors of accidents can experience a wide range of emotional symptoms. They may revisit the event repeatedly in their mind, causing anxiety. They may feel discomfort or emotional disturbances near a vehicle or the scene of the accident. This debilitating condition can damage relationships with friends and family members, and it can completely alter a person’s way of life.

Car accidents are often highly traumatic for people in the vehicle and those who witness the incident. You may experience extreme pain or fear during an accident, and you may even experience extreme injuries that change your life completely. Even minor injuries, though, can leave a lasting emotional impression on a car accident survivor. Fortunately, physical therapy can aid in recovery.

How Physical Therapy Helps Treat PTSD

Physical therapy is critical when it comes to helping accident victims return to their former lifestyle. By identifying injuries that may not be seen and providing treatments that manage pain and restore strength, physical therapy can improve your mental health. Manual therapy can also reduce discomfort and promote better healing, and physical therapists provide exercises that rehabilitate patients so that they can return to their normal routines and activities. 

Another interesting way physical therapy reduces stress and anxiety is by helping accident survivors avoid a serious concern—surgery. Your physical therapist can provide targeted exercises and routines that help your body pump nutrients and oxygen-rich blood cells toward the injury site. By promoting circulation and movement, physical therapy can often help people avoid surgery and the stress and worries that accompany a serious procedure. 

Recover Physically and Emotionally After a Car Crash

Car crashes are traumatic events. In some cases, entire lives are changed in an instant. Aside from healing physical symptoms like sprains, strains, and broken bones, you need to prioritize your mental health after a collision. If you or a loved one is experiencing negative mental health symptoms after a car accident, including PTSD, don’t wait to seek medical attention. The medical team at Impact Medical Group of Clearwater is standing by to help. We’ll create a customized physical therapy treatment plan that treats your physical symptoms and bolsters your mental health, helping you get back to your normal life. Call us today at (727) 292-0200 to schedule your free consultation.