Car accidents are never expected. You’re on your way home, thinking about dinner plans or replaying that conversation from earlier, and then suddenly everything changes. The aftermath of a car accident can often be overwhelming and painful, leaving you unsure of what steps to take next. One of the most important steps is seeking medical attention for your health and recovery.
For mild injuries, you might see your primary care physician for an evaluation and basic treatment. If you receive medical attention at the scene of the accident, the emergency responders will probably recommend visiting an emergency room or urgent care doctor for follow-up treatment. This is where it’s important to see a medical doctor who specializes in car accident injuries so they can provide comprehensive support.
Table of Contents:
- Why the Right Doctor for Accidents is Important
- Types of Doctors You Might See After an Accident
- Additional Questions About Post-Accident Doctors
- More Ways to Speed Up Recovery from a Car Accident
Why Choosing the Right Doctor is Important
It’s common for car accident injuries to be asymptomatic at first. During a traumatic event like a crash, the body releases endorphins that function similarly to painkillers. When the effect of the endorphins wanes, the symptoms become more obvious. Or, the pain may start as simply feeling sore but could be a more serious root cause that leads to issues in the future.
Without a specialist who knows what to look for, recovery can take much longer and be more costly than taking care of it early. This can come in the form of missing work due to back pain, getting headaches in public settings because of a concussion, and more. To treat your symptoms and get you back to feeling 100% again, it’s important to find the right doctor.
How to Find a Doctor After a Car Accident
An unfortunate side of car accidents that you’re often not told is that not all doctors will treat injuries from crashes. This often comes down to their liabilities if complications pop up in the future. However, clinics like Pro-Care are experienced in treating these kinds of injuries. To find the right doctor, it’s prudent to ask your legal representative for recommendations, as they’ll know what local doctors do and don’t offer post-accident care. This might be a general practitioner, who can do initial checks and point you in the right direction for any necessary specialist work (like for concussions, fractures, etc.).
What Kinds of Doctors To See After A Car Accident
Different types of doctors and providers offer tailored ways to help you recover after a car accident. For example, a general practitioner will commonly treat minor injuries and illnesses including acute or short-term concerns like wound care. Accident chiropractors treat all types of musculoskeletal injuries including whiplash, back pain, strains, and fractures. Let’s discuss each of the major types in more detail so you can decide which is right for you.
Chiropractors
Chiropractors provide a natural and comprehensive approach to managing pain and other symptoms caused by musculoskeletal injuries from a car accident. The foundation of this is safely and gently addressing misalignments and unwarranted pressure on your spine and joints. While chiropractors are most commonly associated with back pain, chiropractic care offers a wide range of health benefits and support for injury and joint recovery. From lower neck pain to knee pain, car accident chiropractors create a personalized care plan for your specific symptoms and needs.
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Orthopedic Doctors
Car accident injuries are often complex and affect more than one aspect of your body. Orthopedic doctors who specialize in car accident injuries can address a variety of muscle, bone, ligament, and tendon concerns. A common car accident injury like whiplash may primarily cause muscle strain in your neck, but it can also affect healthy functioning in your spine, nervous system, and upper back. Orthopedists will work with you to reduce your pain and other symptoms, while also treating the root cause. Another use case is if your injuries restrict mobility, which can lead to weakened and stiff muscles. An orthopedic doctor can help you to regain movement, strength, and range of motion after a collision.
Find an accident orthopedist in Texas near you
Neurologists
If you experience any nerve-related symptoms like tingling, numbness, weakness, or chronic headaches after a car accident, you should see a neurologist immediately. Any injury that impacts your brain, spine, or nervous system is dangerous to ignore. Neurologists can diagnose and treat these concerns or conditions, such as a traumatic brain injury. A sudden blow to the head (like from your headrest) during an accident can cause a concussion and negatively impact the brain’s normal functioning, or even lead to bruising or bleeding of the brain.
Find an accident neurologist in Texas near you
Pain Management Doctors
Pain management doctors offer several of the benefits of the specialists mentioned so far. Their backgrounds are often in fields like anesthesiology, orthopedics, or neurology but with a focus in treating different types of pain using a multidisciplinary approach. A pain management doctor can be particularly useful for those dealing with chronic or severe pain that other specialists might not fully address. They might offer treatments like nerve blocks, steroid injections, or trigger point injections to alleviate pain and improve function. Pain management doctors might also coordinate with other specialists to develop a comprehensive treatment plan that includes physical therapy, medication management, or lifestyle changes so your recovery process is as smooth and effective as possible.
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General Practitioners
GPs treat a wide range of illnesses and minor injuries from the common cold to scrapes and infections. If you were injured in a car accident, you want to see a doctor who specializes in treating your specific injuries. Your general practitioner can help with stitches, wound care, and other minor injuries. However, moderate to severe injuries should be treated by a specialist with training and expertise in treating car accident injuries. While a common car accident injury like whiplash can take hours or even days for symptoms to fully appear (and therefore might be missed by a patient, and therefore, a GP), a car accident doctor will know what signs and symptoms to look out for before you even realize you have an injury. Get started on treatment with the right doctors as soon as possible for your best chance at long-term recovery after a car wreck.
Massage Therapists
A general rule of thumb for crashes is that if your car sustained any kind of damage, your body probably did too. As you recover from a car accident injury, you may be dealing with symptoms like pain, weakness, stiffness, and decreased mobility. Massage therapists can target muscles and tendons for faster healing and recovery. They can help restore blood flow to the area, bringing oxygen and other nutrients to jumpstart the healing process. This therapy offers a drug-free approach to pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved mobility in your joints and soft tissues.
Post-Accident Doctor FAQs
When is it Too Late to Go to the Doctor After a Car Accident?
While there is no absolute deadline, the sooner you go, the better. If you’re filing an insurance claim, they might request you get initial medical treatment within a week of the accident. Regardless, you should never feel like it’s too late to see a doctor and receive medical care.
What Should I Say to the Doctor After a Car Accident?
To help the doctor understand the underlying cause(s), be as clear as possible when describing your symptoms (both initial and current) as well as what happened in the crash. It’s also crucial to inform the doctor of any pre-existing conditions you have so they can incorporate that context in their decisions and treatment.
Should I Go to the Doctor After a Minor Car Accident?
It’s recommended to get checked even after minor car accidents, as you can still have bumps, scrapes, whiplash, or even a concussion. As the saying goes, better to be safe than sorry.
Additional Steps to Recover from a Car Accident
It’s important to follow instructions from the doctors as closely as possible to speed up recovery time and ensure the effectiveness of any treatments. One of the most important treatments that many doctors will recommend is rest. This is vital for both the body and for the mind, which may not yet have fully processed the events of the accident. Other steps you might take include applying heat or ice packs to the affected areas, which can relieve minor aches from the accident. We’d also recommend patients add more proteins and vitamins to their diets, which will boost healing. Lastly, it’s important to not neglect your health beyond the physical, and seek a mental health professional (like a psychiatrist) to process and move past any trauma from the event.
Why Choose Pro-Care For Your Car Accident Injury Needs
It’s normal to feel rattled after a car accident, unsure of how to proceed. But with the right clinic in your corner, you’ll be back on your feet in no time. If you have an injury associated with a car accident, contact us as soon as possible. We have a team of talented injury care specialists with the experience, equipment, and compassion you need to recover from your car accident. We also guide you through the nuances of the settlement process, letting you get the care you need with no out-of-pocket costs. Check our locations to see which is closest to you and set up an appointment!
