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Healing Timelines for Common Car Crash Injuries

There are many different types of injuries that can result from a car crash, all coming with their own set of symptoms and healing times. The caring staff at Impact Medical Lutz are here to help you identify these injuries and give you an idea of what you can do to start the healing process and how long it will take for you to get back in tip-top shape!

Back Injuries

The back and spinal cord are extremely susceptible to injuries resulting from car accidents. Many of these types of injuries lead to limited mobility, not to mention intense pain. Below are just a few of the conditions that can occur along the backside of your body after a heavy impact.

Pinched Nerves

When compressed, the bones in your body can squeeze together and pinch the nerves that are located along your spinal cord. This can lead to pain, numbness, and tingling throughout your body. Spinal adjustment techniques can be used to force your nerve endings into a state of relaxation, and additional physical therapy is recommended for reducing pain. The healing process for pinched nerves can last anywhere from 6-12 weeks.

Hernias

Hernias can happen from a severe case of pinched nerves. That’s because in some cases, spinal fluid can leak as a result of the damage caused to the nerves. In this case, you may experience a sensation of weakness on top of the pain and numbness that comes from the pinching of the nerves. Treatment for hernias include spinal manipulation, flexion-distraction, and other therapeutic exercises. Surgery is rarely needed but is sometimes required. Hernias can take anywhere from two to six months to fully heal.

Spinal Cord Impact

If your spinal cord suffers a huge blow, the impact can limit your mobility and motor functions. This is due to the fact that the nerves that signal your brain to perform basic functions are located in the spine. If your discs become misaligned after the accident, your nerves also shift out of place and struggle to send their signals. This can cause you to experience pain, numbness, and even paralysis. Because it’s such a large and complex part of your body, injuries to the spinal cord can take as long as three to six months to heal completely.

Whiplash

Whiplash is when the body is forced into abnormal movements at high speeds. Even an accident that occurs at only 15 miles per hour can cause whiplash as that’s enough of a speed for your body to suddenly jerk around. This puts strain on muscles and ligaments, most commonly in the neck and shoulders.

Neck

The neck is the most common victim in cases of whiplash. Physical therapy and chiropractic care are especially helpful for this area of the body, and typically takes around 2-6 weeks to heal back to its original state.

Shoulders

With professional medical attention, whiplash in the shoulders can also take around 2-6 weeks to heal as long as there are no tears in the muscles or ligaments. For instances with tears in the shoulders, healing time can jump up to 3-6 months. For prolonged injuries like this, physical therapy is especially important in becoming fully healed sooner than later.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries are the most common type of injury that can happen during an auto accident. Affected areas include the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. When any of these are damaged, it can limit your range of motion and cause extreme discomfort. Bone spurs can also form from the heavy impact and get in the way of your soft tissue, impeding its functionality. Spinal manipulation and physical therapy are effective methods in treating soft tissue injuries while chiropractic treatment can reduce inflammation to improve your range of motion and strengthen your muscles. Most moderate soft tissue injuries take three or four weeks to heal.

If you ever experience any of these injuries after a car crash, schedule an appointment with Impact Medical Lutz to start the healing process. We’ll give you all the care you need to get you back to your happy, healthy self as soon as possible!

Why You Should Still See a Doctor After a Minor Auto Accident

You should always seek medical attention following an accident, even if you don’t feel any pain. Why? Because even during a minor accident or fender bender, injuries such as whiplash and contusions can still occur, and their symptoms may not manifest immediately. 

Here at Impact Med Sun City Center, we recommend getting checked by a primary care physician or a chiropractor, after a car accident no matter how minor the accident was. 

Keep reading to learn why it is important to seek medical attention following an accident. 

Your Body’s Response to a Car Accident 

Even a minor accident can produce forces that result in shock and injury to the body. Our bodies are not designed to endure that kind of impact, and injuries can be sustained even in a low-speed car accident that causes little or no damage to the vehicles involved. 

This is because people rarely see an impact coming before the accident occurs, resulting in no time to prepare to brace for impact. This means that even during a fender bender, many accident victims suffer from whiplash or other soft tissue injuries due to the violent jerking of the neck and head on impact. 

What Symptoms Might Manifest? 

One of the biggest mistakes that accident victims make is assuming that what they feel following an accident is too minor for medical care or just a response to the stress of the accident.

Headaches, body aches, and other symptoms while not easy to self-diagnose, might be caused by stress, but they might also be the sign of a more serious injury. You could have an undiagnosed concussion, brain injury, or whiplash. 

Generally, the most common types of injuries that show up following an accident are soft tissue injuries, concussions, and back injuries yet their symptoms might not manifest immediately. 

Keep Reading> 6 Reasons You Should See a Chiropractor After a Crash

Treat Your Injuries Proactively 

After an accident as a direct response to the trauma of a crash, adrenaline courses through your body and often masks any pain or severe injuries that may have occurred. 

It is common that in the days or weeks following an accident, your pain symptoms may begin to appear and become increasingly worse if they are left untreated. 

No matter the severity of injury or presence of pain symptoms, your number one priority should be to visit a doctor.

The Importance of Medical Records Following an Accident 

If you plan to litigate following an accident, you need valid records that document your injuries and costs following the accident. Accident reports, medical records, and police reports can all help your claims process and litigation. 

This is why it is important to seek medical care as soon as possible following an accident. If weeks go by, and you still have not received medical treatment, it can be more difficult to prove that the injuries stemmed from your accident. 

Therefore, if you want to receive compensation for your pain and suffering and medical bills, we cannot stress the importance of seeking medical treatment to treat your injuries after an accident—even if you don’t feel pain yet. 

Learn more about accident injuries> Common Auto Accident Injuries & How They’re Treated 

Post-Accident Care and Treatment 

Following a car accident, seek medical attention even if symptoms of pain have yet to manifest. Our doctors and chiropractors at Impact Med Sun City Center are in the best position to determine whether you sustained injuries in the accident and will help you begin to heal and recover. 

After an accident, don’t wait. Call Impact Med Sun City Center for post-accident treatment today; 813-938-5195!

5 Steps to Take After a Truck Accident

The moments after a truck accident though overwhelming can be critical as an accident involving a semi-truck can result in serious injury. Though some collisions involving big trucks are deadly, if you are lucky to walk away with only minor injuries, there are a few important steps to take that will help you recover during the aftermath. 

If you are in an accident with a semi-truck, follow these steps from our team at Impact Med Wesley Chapel so you can get on the road to recovery. 

Call the Police

After an accident, it is important to call the police to report the accident. Make sure to let the 911 dispatcher know how many people are involved in the accident so that they can send as many ambulances and first responders as necessary. 

Even if the accident seems minor, call the police and get a report anyway. A police report is the best way to have documentation of the accident for insurance and medical purposes. Further, your medical records, medications, and lab results can all bolster your claim if you intend to litigate following an accident with a truck. 

Seek Medical Attention

Even if the accident was minor and you don’t think you are hurt, it is important to get a medical evaluation as soon as possible following the accident as you may have suffered injuries that don’t show immediately. Or you could have internal bleeding that only a doctor can diagnose. 

If you end up needing medical attention later, it can be hard to prove that the pain you are feeling is related to the accident. 

At Impact Med Wesley Chapel, we offer pain management, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and more to help you recover following an accident. 

Hold onto the following pieces of evidence as they can help prove your injuries for claims or litigation purposes:

• Imaging scan results like x-rays, CT scans, and ultrasounds
• Photos of physical injuries
• The names of your prescribed medications
• The dates and costs of your doctor appointments
• Written testimony from your doctor

Learn More> 6 Reasons You Should See a Chiropractor After a Crash

Write Down Contact Information from Witnesses 

If you can do so and are uninjured, write down the contact information of any witnesses. These could be someone in one of the other vehicles involved, a bystander, or a driver in a nearby vehicle that was not involved. 

You don’t need to take witness statements, leave that to the police. If you can, approach any witnesses and ask for their contact information as they might have valuable information to share. 

You can pass this on to your lawyer or give the information to the police to help while they are performing the accident investigation. 

Document Your Injuries and Losses 

Again, this is something that you should only do if you are uninjured, and it is safe to get out of your vehicle and walk around. If you are on a busy highway, and the police have yet to arrive, don’t wander out onto the road. 

If you can, take photos of any property damage, injuries, and take note of the road conditions or other factors that might have caused the accident. 

It is crucial to take photos if the weather may have impacted the driver’s visibility or if the road was slick. Forensic experts can testify about past weather, but a picture of the weather that day is worth a thousand words. 

Be sure to obtain as much information as possible including:

• The truck driver’s name, home address, phone number, and email address. 
• The truck driver’s insurance company and policy number. 
• The truck driver’s license number
• The name and contact information for the truck driver’s employer and trucking company. 
• The truck’s license plate number and any other identifying information. 

Never Admit Fault 

Yes, you might be angry that the truck driver caused the accident but being angry or mean won’t get you anywhere. Many people say things that they don’t mean when agitated or when their adrenaline is pumping. 

Keep a cool head and avoid saying something that you may regret in the future. And never admit fault! Save any details for your lawyer. 

The responding officers will do their best to do a thorough job of reconstructing the accident, and you will likely be asked for a statement, but you don’t need to admit fault (even if you were at fault.)

Keep Reading> Common Auto Accident Injuries & How They’re Treated 

Recover with the Help of Impact Med Wesley Chapel 

If you or a loved one has been injured during an accident with a truck, seek medical attention as soon as possible following the accident. Our team at Impact Med Wesley Chapel is here to help you recover and from truck accidents with our comprehensive treatment plans that include pain management, chiropractic care, and physical therapy. 

Trust your healing after an accident to Impact Med Wesley Chapel. Call us today—813-953-1002!

The 10 Steps to Recovery After an Accident

You don’t typically plan to get into an accident every time you hop into your car. It’s something that happens unexpectedly, so we don’t normally plan out what to do for that particular “what if”. We hope that you’re never unfortunate enough to experience such a traumatizing event, but the caring professionals at Impact Medical Bradenton want you to be prepared just in case. If you ever find yourself in an auto accident, follow these steps for optimal and efficient recovery:

Seek medical attention

The first thing you should do immediately after the accident is to seek medical attention to identify and treat any life-threatening conditions such as internal bleeding or a concussion. It may be difficult to think clearly in the heat of the moment but call 911 as soon as you can because your life comes first and foremost.

Get the ice pack

The sooner you reduce any swelling, the less you’ll have to recover from in the long run. Halt the process from the get-go by laying ice on the affected area for roughly 15 minutes every hour or two.

Request time off

Taking time off work to stay at home will ensure the speediest recovery. Going back to work immediately after an accident and continuing your daily routine as usual will cause strain on your body which can add another few months to achieving full recovery. Not to mention, extraneous movements can cause injuries to swell again or open back up which can revert the recovery process.

Stay hydrated

Your body utilizes more fluids than usual when healing, so it’s important to replace what is being used. At least six cups of water a day is recommended to regain proper hydration and provide your body with the means to take in nutrients.

Eat healthy

A proper diet is crucial for nurturing your body during recovery. Plenty of fruits and vegetables are recommended for reducing inflammation, and certain proteins like chicken and fish can help you retain muscle mass while you rest. Refrain from eating or drinking anything with too much sugar as that can interfere with the essential nutrients that your body needs.

Seek physical therapy

While you do everything you can at home to maintain a steady recovery, you should still seek professional help to keep you on track and speed up the process even more. A physical therapist that specializes in car accident recovery such as Impact Medical Bradenton will give you targeted treatment in nurturing your body to optimal health. Follow your physical therapist’s prescribed treatment plan for the best results.

Do what you can for pain

Do everything that you can possibly think of to minimize pain as much as you can. This includes following the prescribed treatment plan as suggested by your physical therapist as well as taking any allowed medication and using ice packs. Easing or eliminating pain will make it easier for your body to relax and recover.

Stretch and exercise

Resting is important but keeping your body in shape for post-recovery is just as important. Some ways to accomplish this without straining your body is through careful stretching and light exercises. Through minimal movement and physical activity, you won’t feel so drained once it’s time to get back to your daily routine.

Welcome emotional support

Car accidents can be a very traumatizing experience, but you don’t have to face your feelings alone. Talk to family, friends, or a counselor to ease any fears or anxieties you may have. It is common for people to develop PTSD, depression, or fear of driving after an accident, so don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for help!

Take your time

Depending on the severity of the accident, it can take weeks or months to fully recover from the aftereffects. Acknowledge that you’re doing everything you can and let time take care of the rest. Patience will reward you in the end with a physically fit body so you can go back to your normal life.

If you’re ever in need of physical therapy after a car accident, Impact Medical Bradenton has professionals who are trained in treating patients specifically in auto accident recovery. Give us a call at 941-269-2183 to learn more about what we can do for you!