Car accidents can be disruptive, even if you are fortunate to walk away without severe injuries. You may find that you still struggle to complete your everyday routine because of soreness. While this is very common among those recovering from car accidents, it’s understandable to want to return to your normal life. If you’re struggling with soreness after a car accident, here’s how long you can expect your recovery to take.
When Does the Soreness Start?
No two car accidents are the same; neither is your recovery. Your pain is unique, which means your soreness and recovery will depend on your pain tolerance, ability to heal, the severity of your crash, and other factors. With that said, you may start to feel sore a few hours after your accident, or you may not feel it until the next day or even two weeks later. That is because the rush of adrenaline you feel during the accident may mask or delay your symptoms. Some who are fortunate may not even experience pain at all, but for most, it’s very common to experience soreness after a car accident.
A Timeline for Your Soreness
For most people after a car accident, they can experience soreness for anywhere from a couple of days to six weeks. General soreness can include muscle pain, headaches, or fatigue. Depending on the severity, it might go away on its own, or you may follow a treatment recommended to you by a professional within fourteen days of your accident. If your soreness is more severe, hasn’t improved, or has gotten worse, you should seek advice from a medical professional. Your soreness may be a sign of a more serious injury.
How to Support Your Recovery
If your soreness is bothering you as you heal, there are steps you can take to treat it. Try doing the following to support your body as it recovers from soreness after a car accident.
- Get plenty of rest
- Eat nutritious meals and stay hydrated
- Ice sore areas or try alternating hot and cold packs
- Limit physical activity or strenuous activities
- Do stretches or light exercise
If you follow all these acts and still don’t see the progress you hope for, that’s okay. Everyone heals at their own pace, and you can’t rush recovery. If you are having trouble healing, make sure to discuss it with a professional. They can give you the guidance you need to recover.
Seek Professional Care
Along with eating well, resting, and moving your body, the best thing you can do for your recovery is seek professional care. There are a few options you can choose from to treat your soreness after a car accident. You may only go to one or a combination of the below, whichever is right for you. A professional can help you towards recovery by providing you with the necssary treatment to take care of your soreness now and prevent it in the future.
Medical Care
After a car accident, one of the first things you should do is seek medical care, even if you aren’t injured. You may have internal damage you are unaware of, and it’s always better to be safe. Also, you can get the most out of your settlement if you have a record showing that you sought medical care after your accident.
Chiropractic Care
If you have lingering soreness following your accident, a chiropractor can help you get to the source of it. Chiropractors can help you readjust and realign to target soreness in the back, shoulders, neck, arms, and legs. Reach out to your local chiropractor to eliminate your general soreness.
Physical Therapy
When soreness impacts your day-to-day routine, you should contact a physical therapist. Physical therapy helps you restore function and improve mobility through various exercises and methods. If you’re having trouble accomplishing tasks on your own, without help, because of your soreness, then physical therapy could be right for you.
Overcome Your Pain
While soreness after a car accident may disrupt your life now, it doesn’t have to be long-term. If you’re ready to start your recovery, we’re ready to help. At Essential Chirocare and Physical Therapy, we offer the expert care you need to overcome your pain and regain your quality of life. If you still have questions about your soreness, take a look at more of our sources for Explaining Pain After an Auto Accident. We provide the guidance you need to move forward and move better.
