4 Tips To A Quicker Recovery From An Auto Accident Injury

If you…or someone you know has recently been in an auto accident, you are probably a little sore, to say the least. Hopefully you have already been checked out by a doctor to rule out any serious injury that needs immediate medical attention.
However, quite often there are soft tissue injuries such as whiplash, sprained ankles, or pulled muscles throughout the body that will take time to heal. Well, maybe a little less time if you help the healing along a bit.
I am going to share some tips that will help you in your recovery, so you will be able to get back to feeling good again sooner, rather than later.

Tip # 1 – Following Orders

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to do is to follow doctor’s orders. I happen to be co-owner of a medical practice and still have a difficult time with this rule. Even though I know I should, it’s just hard to rest when I’m not tired, take medicine when I’m not feeling sick, and make follow up visits when I feel back to normal.
However, I have seen…and unfortunately experienced firsthand, problems that arise from not listening to what they say. In other words, I know just how important it is to follow orders. So, even if you are feeling like you are on the mend, pay attention to what the experts are telling you.

You can also speak to other experts to know this is true. For example, a friend of mine spoke with a few Sacramento bankruptcy lawyers and personal injury lawyers after a bad accident kept him out of work for a long time. It was also recommended to him that listening to his doctors to better his chance at recovering physically, emotionally, and even financially.
So, listen to the experts you are paying.

Tip #2 – Rest and Rehabilitation

Part of the orders you might hear from the medical field is to get plenty of rest and rehabilitation. Sounds like a conflict of interest, doesn’t it…rest and rehab? But, it makes sense, if you do it right. There will be exercises that you will learn in physical therapy. These are key to rebuilding a part of your body that has been injured. Make sure to do them according to directions, and how often they recommend you do them.
However, they will probably tell you to also rest your injuries. This is to make sure you don’t overwork the joint or muscle and suffer a setback. Chances are your physician and your physical therapist will work together to make sure you are getting the proper treatments and exercises to gain back your life as you knew it before the accident.
Keep communication open with both of these experts so they know exactly what is going on with your body. If you are experiencing more pain and stress than they told you to expect, let them know right away so they can adjust the program. Unfortunately, the new pain might be normal and that they did not explain what you should be expecting after a therapy session.
One thing you might consider is massage therapy.

Tip #3 – Massage Therapy

Some physicians will recommend it before you even consider it, but others won’t. Just make sure to ask your doctor if it is suitable for your injury. It might be something that will have to wait until you are further along in the healing process. However, a good massage therapist will know how to help you speed that process up.
Various massage therapy modules include:

• Deep Tissue – a deep massage that would be best for those who can handle an intense massage

• Connective Tissue – works with the superficial layers of fascia, with deep and ‘lengthening’ pressure, rather than compression

• Reflexology – utilizes pressure to points in the feet and hands, which refers throughout the body affecting various organs within the body

There are also other modules such as Swedish massage to simply relax you, rather than work certain muscles. Sometimes it’s just important to relax the mind and body so you can heal quicker.

Tip #4 – Eating for Recovery

The last thing I want to touch on is maintaining a balanced diet with proper nutrition. It might sound too simple to be true, but it’s not. A healthy and balanced diet goes a long way in healing the body. It will give you more energy for recovery, as well as keep the weight down during the recovery period. Adding extra pounds will make the rehab period more difficult.
Also, by eating healthy, you are adding nutrients to the body, which are necessary for healing. And, stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to make sure your entire body is in balance. A hydrated body can easily experience more muscle cramping than one that is not. Of course, I am referring to hydrating with water…not coffee or colas. In fact, for every caffeinated drink you have, you deplete the water level in your body…and need to double up on the glasses of water to make up for it.

In Closing

If you have some recovery time ahead of you, the tips above should help it go a bit smoother…and hopefully a bit quicker as well.
Kathy Barber is a freelance writer, who writes on various topics including health, entertaining, and home improvement. She often finds inspiration from things she has experienced, as well as what she learns online. In fact, after visiting http://www.travisblacklaw.com/, she decided to write a series on auto accidents and how they can affect a person for life. Kathy is married with a young son and resides in eastern Michigan. She enjoys camping, music, entertaining, and playing with her son.