While there are close to 43,000 fatal car collisions in the United States each year, there are many times more injuries that victims must contend with.
Car accidents can change people’s lives for the worse.
Not all accidents lead to serious injuries, but some result in serious injuries. It might take time to heal and get back to your usual routine.
And that might come on the heels of taking time off work, attending doctor and physiotherapy appointments, and perhaps dealing with chronic pain over the long term.
Here are seven things to do post-accident to reclaim your health and move forward with life.
1. Seek Immediate Medical Attention
After an accident, you should first consult your family doctor. And that’s the case whether or not you feel the worse for wear.
It’s essential to get checked out by a medical professional to see if there are any injuries. After a checkup, your doctor can arrange for X-rays, recommend treatments, and schedule follow-up appointments for progress reports.
2. Rest and Take Time to Heal
People between the ages of 25 and 64 years old require an average of seven to nine hours of sleep nightly, while those 65 and older need seven to eight hours.
Getting enough sleep is a must if you want to enjoy good overall health. When getting enough sleep, you’ll give your body time to heal itself. So, if you’re not in the habit of getting quality shut-eye every night, now’s the time to do so. Otherwise, it’ll be harder to recover.
3. Document Your Symptoms and Progress
It’s also essential that you keep records of how you’re feeling. Write down pain levels, recovery milestones, mobility limitations, and other things related to how you’re feeling post-accident. Your journal will be useful if you pursue a personal injury claim.
When seeking compensation through a personal injury lawsuit, the more supporting documentation you have, the better. Your lawyer must prove negligence and show that your injuries warrant compensation.
4. Use Pain Management Techniques
Part of the healing process will involve using pain management recommendations from your doctor or some other medical professional. The plan might call for medication, physical therapy, chiropractors, stretching, ice and heat packs, and more.
5. Maintain a Healthy Diet
Eating healthy meals in proper proportions will also help you to get better after an accident.
If you need help, ask your doctor to refer you to a dietician who can help you get on the right track health-wise. Don’t underestimate the impact nutrition will have on your recovery.
6. Avoid Strenuous Activities
While a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity weekly is advisable, you’ll want to tone that down when recovering after an accident.
One of the worst things you can do is push yourself too hard, too fast. Consult with your doctor to learn how much exercise you should do at different stages of your recovery process. Doing too much could do more harm than good as you try to improve your health.
7. Stay Hydrated
According to one source, men should drink 13 cups, or around three liters, of water daily, while women should drink nine cups, or around two liters, of water daily.
It’s always important to stay properly hydrated. And, no, soda pop won’t count toward the recommended amount of water.
Drinking water will help your body recover and contribute to a better overall state of health.
The road to recovery after an accident may be long and difficult. But the right strategy and some determination can go a long way toward helping you get better.
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