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Top Non-Surgical Treatments for Accident Back Pain in 2024

Struggling with back pain after an accident? If you’ve been suffering, take heart—there are paths to pain-free life that don’t involve the operating table. Here are the top non-surgical back pain treatments at your disposal, carefully curated for patients battling back pain post-accident.

1. Discography

Discography is a doctor’s best tool in the search for the elusive pain’s origin. By injecting dye into the spinal discs and taking X-rays, your doctor isolates the root of your discomfort. It’s a pivotal step in designing a tailored treatment plan that’s personal to your pain.

2. Epidural Steroid Injections

Epidural injections, often thought of in the context of childbirth, are an invaluable resource for post-accident recovery. Administering anti-inflammatory steroids into the space around the spinal nerve roots, they tackle the pain at its impetus, reducing inflammation to allow for holistic healing.

3. Facet Injections

When facet joints—the unsung heroes of spinal mobility—become a source of pain, facet injections stand as silent sentinels, offering their numbing and healing aid. They are not the heroes that leap into surgery but aid you in your battle to reclaim your body’s natural grace.

4. Radio-Frequency Ablation (RFA)

For long-term reprieve, RFA reigns supreme. By heating the nerves sending pain to your brain, RFA stops the signals in their tracks, offering an extended duration of respite. It’s a procedure that can make a world of difference, without the commitment of invasive surgery.

5. Percutaneous Discectomy

A minimally invasive discectomy is a non-surgical treatment that relieves pressure on your nerves. By gently removing a portion of the disc’s nucleus, Percutaneous Discectomy allows natural healing to ease the burden on afflicted areas.

6. Selective Nerve Root Blocks (SNRB)

Selective nerve root blocks are a calculated strike on pain—a single injection aimed at both diagnosis and relief. By targeting the roots under fluoroscopy, they offer insights into the source of the affliction while delivering anti-inflammatory aid directly where it’s most needed.

7. SIJ Injections and Ablations: The Lower Back Comfort Crusaders

The sacroiliac joint injections and ablations are no small steps when it comes to treating lower back pain. By pinpointing the area and neutralizing pain signals, they lead you down the path of recovery with precision.

Explore Non-Surgical Treatments and Discover Freedom From Post-Accident Back Pain

If you’re suffering from back pain, Impact Medical Group of Tampa is standing by to help. Our non-surgical treatments offer a lifeline for people struggling with post-accident pain. Your road to recovery may be complex, but with the right team, the destination is within reach.

If you’re seeking answers for the aftereffects of an accident, know that you’re not alone. We’re here with knowledge, care, and a clear path to a pain-free future. Contact us today at (813) 283-1910 to schedule your free medical evaluation and take the first step towards reclaiming your life.

How To Tell When Pain Is Bad When Exercising

If you’ve just started a new exercise regimen, it is common to experience some soreness and aches as your body adjusts to the new movements. The fact is, that activities such as weight-lifting and cardiovascular exercises put stress on the body, but through that, strength and endurance are achieved.

But what happens if you experience pain during a workout; should you just push through it? No pain, no gain, right?

Not quite! Our physical therapy team at Impact Medical Zephryhills explains when you should listen to your body’s pain cues, and some tips to prevent pain when exercising.

Can Pain Be “Good” When Exercising?

Before we get started, yes, “good pain” does exist. When you feel soreness or achiness after a workout, this is usually due to mild inflammation in your muscles that in turn will help them get stronger.

We consider this kind of pain when working out “acceptable.” It will generally last for a few days as your body adjusts to the new movements, but it should not hinder you from continuing to exercise.

Sharp or Persistent Pain

While muscle soreness after hiking, weight-lifting, or doing squats is normal, sharp or persistent pain when you are exercising is not something to ignore. 

Generally, pain is a signal that you are injured or have a muscle strain. This can happen due to overuse or an overload on a muscle or tendon. Any kind of sharp pain means you should stop exercising immediately. Your body is trying to tell you something, so this is not to time to grin and bare it. Pushing through the pain will not help you get better results, it could hinder your progress if you’re laid up indefinitely.

If you experience any of the following symptoms, we recommend visiting our physicians at Impact Medical Zephyrhills:

  • Sudden sharp pain
  • Any pain that prevents that decreases your range of motion
  • Pain that causes weakness or limping
  • Pain where you had surgery or a previous injury
  • Pain with excessive swelling
  • Pain that is constant and is not relieved by ice, rest, or NSAIDs

Any of these symptoms could mean that you have an injury, and putting more strain on the affected muscles or tendons will cause more pain and possible damage.

How to Manage Pain During and After Exercising

Remember, if you feel any sharp pain when exercising, stop and rest, and if the pain does not go away within a few hours, we recommend making an appointment with a doctor.

Otherwise, if you are experiencing muscle soreness, here are a few tips to help you manage the pain from physical activity:

  • Modify your exercise program and take rest days in between days where you exert yourself more such as when you are weightlifting
  • Switch to a different exercise like walking, yoga, biking, etc.
  • Make sure you are properly warming up and cooling down before and after exercising.
  • Wear comfortable shoes
  • Drink more water and stay hydrated during your workout

How Physical Therapy Combats Pain

If you are experiencing aches and pain after a workout and it is holding you back from doing what you love, our physical therapists at Impact Medical Zephyrhills are here to help!

First, we will perform a medical evaluation to ensure that there is nothing more serious that is causing or contributing to your pain. From there, we will design a program that will address and help treat your pain points.

Generally, we teach our clients exercises and stretches that can improve:

  • Range of motion
  • Flexibility
  • Strengthen muscles
  • Prevent and treat pain

Remember, some aches and soreness are completely normal after exercising, but if you notice severe pain or chronic pain, that’s when we recommend coming in for an evaluation with our team.

Read More > How Can I Safely Strength Train After an Accident?

Visit Impact Medical Zephyrhills

Are you experiencing more than achiness and soreness when exercising? Don’t push through the pain! Call our friendly physical therapists at Impact Medical Zephyrhills for a consultation! We specialize in pain management and healing injuries and are ready to help you feel your best.

Schedule an appointment by calling (813) 706-5156 today!

Can I Go To A Physical Therapist For Hand or Wrist Pain After An Accident?

Believe it or not, wrist and hand injuries are common after car accidents, due to the complexity of the bones and tendons within them. But can you go to a physical therapist for these injuries?

Absolutely. There are several kinds of wrist and hand injuries that physical therapists can treat including:

  • Wrist tendonitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Arthritis
  • Trigger finger
  • Sprains
  • Strains

Working with a physical therapist at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel can help with inflammation and range of motion. Keep reading to discover how!

Common Wrist and Hand Injuries After an Accident

In an accident, wrist sprains and strains, as well as fractures occur often. But inflammation of tendons that leads to tendonitis is also very common.

Let’s take a look at some common injuries:

#1. Wrist Tendonitis

Though this is caused most commonly by repetitive actions like working at a computer or playing a sport, people can also get tendonitis from an accident.

If your wrist is overextended and becomes irritated and inflamed, you may experience the following symptoms of tendonitis:

  • Pain where the arm meets the hand and radiates up the elbow
  • Pain on either side of the wrist near the thumb or little finger
  • Pain when the wrist is used
  • Swelling in the wrist
  • Tenderness in the forearm, hand, and wrist muscles
  • Decreased ability to use the wrist

#2. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

A little-known fact about carpal tunnel syndrome is that it isn’t just caused by excessive keyboard usage. It can also be caused by a traumatic injury sustained in a car accident.

If an injury or inflammation from an injury impinges the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel of the wrist, you may feel the following symptoms:

  • Pain in the wrist
  • Weakness
  • Tingling
  • Numbness in the hand, wrist, and fingers

#3. Sprains & Strains

Sprains and strains are some of the most common injuries that we see in patients who have been in car accidents.

  • A wrist sprain happens when the tissues that connect the bones in the wrist are injured. You may have felt a popping or tearing at the time of injury and swelling, bruising, anf tenderness of the wrist are common symptoms.
  • A wrist strain occurs when there is an injury to the tissue or muscle that attaches the muscles to a bone.

How Does Physical Therapy Treat Wrist and Hand Injuries?

At Impact Medical Wesley Chapel, we recommend addressing hand and wrist injuries or pain as soon as possible for optimal recovery. Targeted exercises and stretches can help control inflammation, and gradually work toward restoring range of motion and strength to the hand and wrist.

First, we always begin each appointment with a consultation and evaluation of the joints and tendons. We will have you complete tests where we will assess your range of motion and strength, and make note of any symptoms, such as pain or weakness that you are experiencing.

Common modalities that we may use to treat wrist and hand injuries include:

  • Bracing: We may use a finger splint or wrist brace to restrict movement while the injury heals.
  • Ice or Heat Therapy: We use ice to alleviate pain, and may use heat to help ease joint pain if arthritis is detected.
  • Manual Therapy: By gently stretching or manipulating the joints and soft tissues, we can decrease pain and help restore movement.
  • Exercises: We will employ various exercises to enhance range of motion, and strengthen the hand and wrists.

At Impact Medical Wesley Chapel, we will design a complete protocol just for you to ensure we are addressing the unique symptoms that you are experiencing. This is not a one-size-fits-all treatment!

Read More > Can a Physical Therapist Evaluate Accident Injuries?

Reach out to Impact Medical Wesley Chapel

Wrist and hand injuries can cause chronic and long-lasting pain and weakness if left ignored. So, if you are experiencing any kind of wrist or hand pain after a car crash, don’t wait. Get treatment from a physical therapist as soon as possible.

Contact Impact Medical Wesley Chapel for a physical therapy consultation by calling (813) 953-1002 today!

Can Untreated Head Trauma or TBIs Cause Seizures?

When it comes to head injuries, understanding the potential long-term consequences is a critical step in personal health management. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs), as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), can lead to a variety of immediate and delayed health issues, including the development of epilepsy and seizures.

The Post-Trauma Seizure Risk

Emerging from a significant blow to the head, one might rightly be concerned about immediate symptoms such as confusion or memory loss—yet the risk doesn’t end with the initial trauma. It is vital that patients and the public, especially those at high risk due to environmental factors or previous injuries, recognize the potential for post-traumatic seizures, even long after an injury is sustained.

These seizures, which occur because of the brain’s physiological response to injury, can manifest in various forms, each with its own set of symptoms and implications. Due to this variability, recognizing and responding to a seizure requires an informed approach, one made stronger through support networks and medical guidance.

Spotting the Silent Symptoms

Seizures following a TBI are often easily mistaken for transient quirks of personal health instead of potential indicators of a deeper complication. Some of the symptoms to watch out for include:

  • Momentary lapses in consciousness or attention, where an individual may appear to “zone out” or become unresponsive for a brief period.
  • Unnoticeable or slight twitches, which could be dismissed as minor, involuntary muscle movements or quirks, rather than being recognized as potential seizure activity.
  • Subtle behavioral changes or disturbances in mood that might not be immediately linked to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or seizure activity.
  • Brief episodes of confusion or disorientation, which may be overlooked as fatigue or stress-related incidents.
  • Sudden, unexplained memory gaps or difficulties recalling recent events, possibly attributed to inattentiveness rather than neurological issues stemming from a TBI.
  • Minor sensory disturbances, like fleeting changes in vision, hearing, or smell, that might not be connected to underlying brain injury complications.

It is these subtler, yet significant, signs that demand attention, offered through the lens of a valuable resource like Impact Medical Group. This heightened awareness can mean the difference between unchecked symptoms and prompt medical intervention—a vital distinction for those at risk.

Navigating the Path to Prevention

Prevention is as crucial as recognition in the management of TBIs. Strategies for minimizing these devastating injuries include the universal application of seat belts, adherence to safety guidelines during sports, and ongoing vigilance in environments where falls or collisions are more likely.

Preventing TBI can circumvent the cascade of events leading to post-traumatic epilepsy and an increased seizure risk. It’s an approach rooted in practicality and filled with everyday steps that contribute to overall health and well-being, nurturing a society educated and empowered in the face of potential trauma.

Seek Specialized TBI Care at Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg

TBIs are incredibly complex injuries, and their potential to cause seizures underscores the importance of seeking expert guidance. The TBI specialists at Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg are standing by to help. We provide the necessary support, expertise, and resources you need to mitigate the long-term consequences of head trauma. Call us today at (727) 722-8103 to schedule your free medical evaluation and start your journey toward recovery and well-being.