To be in a car accident is possibly one of the scariest and most unfortunate situations for an individual. The time it takes to recover from such an event depends on a wide range of factors, including the extent of the injuries sustained.
There are some cases where the victim of a car accident will feel absolutely fine as they step out of their vehicles, but the injuries could appear days later. Injuries aren’t the only outcome of a car accident, either. The impact on mental health is another outcome of an accident on the road. Some people can’t get back into a car for some time; others have flashbacks that last far longer than their injuries last them.
A car accident causes a ripple effect. It affects your mood, your body, your kids, your family – even your ability to feel ready to leave the house again. Each case is different but depending on what happened and who’s fault it was, there may be legal issues to take care of or ignition interlock suspension as well as the physical and mental aspect. Car accident recovery takes time, and it’s up to you to ensure that you give yourself that time to heal. Let’s take a look at ten things that you can do to help with your car accident recovery.
See A Doctor
Some people are embarrassed about calling a doctor if their injuries aren’t apparent on the road. If you did not seek medical attention while you were at the scene, you need to speak to a doctor and get checked over. Adrenaline in an accident can prevent you from feeling the full extent of your injuries, and you need to get treatment just to double check.
Go Home
The shock after an accident can make you feel like you are in a fog. Going home after an accident puts you in a position where familiar things surround you, and you have a place to lay your head down where you can be comfortable. You can also find somewhere comfortable to write down everything that happened before you get in touch with both your insurance provider and Van Sant Law – especially if you were not at fault. Take your time, though, because you need to get your head around what has just happened.
Rest Up
Healing takes slowing down and waiting it out. One of the biggest mistakes of victims of car accidents is that they rush this process. Their regular activities and their job are always going to be waiting there, but they go back anyway to rush the sense of normality that they have lost. You need to have time to heal so your body can recover, and your mind – which will take longer – can pause for a while.
Therapy
Not only do you need to have treatment for your physical injuries, some victims in a car accident like to get some professional help from a therapist who can make them feel relaxed and at peace with what happened to them. Experienced therapists can make you feel better about the injuries you sustained and gives you help to get back on the road, too.
Hydrate As Much As Possible
Extra fluid can help with water retention after an accident, which means that you will be able to recover faster and better. Drink the right amount of water to get rid of internal waste produced about the accident, too.
R.I.C.E
Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. Ice is necessary for pain control in the first three days after an accident. Resting your body while icing up and compressing the area of pain is going to ensure faster recovery and ensure that you are back on your feet sooner than you’d think.
Exercise Breaks
Activity with high energy, like running and another exercise, need to slow down at this point. You may feel like getting back into your sports is the best thing that you can do, but you need to take some time out to just rest. Going back to fast will exacerbate the injuries you’ve experienced.
Get Fresh Air
When you are physically able to, get outside. While you should make an effort to prevent too much physical activity and cancel your vigorous exercise classes, you should still try to keep moving. Walk the block every day. Stand in the garden and breathe in some fresh air. There’s no need to hill climb, but you do need to think about how you can get some fresh air and keep lightly moving to encourage healing.
Ditch The Heels
Uncomfortable shoes are not the way to go after an accident. Your body stays under stress when you are standing and walking, and the brunt of your weight needs to sit in the comfortable shoes you wear, instead. Injuries can persist when you aren’t in the correct posture, and you can have that with shoes that are more balanced. Support your spine, legs and neck without wearing high heels for a while!
Let Go Of Heavy Weight
When you’ve had a car crash, you’re going to feel bruised after a while. You may even need time off work for recovery. When you’re in this position, don’t lift anything substantial, including children, shopping bags, equipment and briefcases. Internal and external injuries can be aggravated by lifting heavy things, and the best thing that you can do is rest and leave the heavy lifting to other people.
Car accident recovery isn’t something to brush to one side. You need to take your time and actually, think about how your body is responding to the accident. It’s not just the physical injuries; your mental wellbeing will be affected, and you need to take into account how much time you could need to truly get through the pain and healing that a car accident brings. You need to recover well if you hope to get back into a car again, move without pain again and feel confident on the road again.
Recovery includes insurance claims, compensation and financial help. Speak to the right people, and you won’t be alone in the effort to feel well again.