What Are the Best Ways to Manage Pain After an Accident?

woman taking a pill

After an accident, you may be feeling the effects physically, emotionally, and financially. Pain and chronic pain are common results of accidents, especially car accidents. You don’t want pain as a souvenir of a traumatic event. But how can you manage the pain? Working with an attorney can help you get the compensation you deserve so you can cover your medical bills and other related expenses. They also have probably seen similar cases and may know that there is potential for you to sustain future pain and suffering and account for that in their negotiations. They are equipped with the knowledge and experience to fight for your rights. Reach out to a Memphis personal injury lawyer to ensure a fair settlement.

What is Chronic Pain?

Chronic pain is persistent pain that can last weeks, months, or even years. It is longstanding and continues past what would be considered a normal healing time frame. It is a complex medical condition and is often difficult to understand by medical professionals. People who were involved in accidents often deal with chronic pain later on. It is caused by traumatic wounds resulting in inflammation and damaged nerves that won’t heal.

Chronic pain may not reveal itself right away but can start weeks or sometimes months after the accident. Signs of chronic pain are pain that lasts longer than about 3 months and includes persisting:

  • Aches in varying parts of the body
  • Headaches
  • Joint pain
  • Numbness
  • Tingling or burning
  • Fatigue

Chronic pain can also include a loss of range of motion in limbs and trouble sleeping. Any unusual suffering as a result of your accident could be considered chronic pain.

How Can I Manage My Pain?

Working with a trustworthy doctor or specialist is important when figuring out the best way to manage your pain. You should be honest with them about where you feel the pain, how bad it is, if it flares up at certain times, etc. Any detail can be important in getting you the best treatment.

Your doctor may decide to prescribe you medication after hearing the specifics of your situation. It can be a trial and error to find which medicine works best for you and your symptoms. A combination of medicine and physical therapy may keep the pain at bay.

If those options do not seem to be working, there are other ways you can try to alleviate some of your suffering. There are alternative treatments that have proved successful for many people dealing with chronic pain.

Massage therapy, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, yoga, and even meditation have been shown to decrease pain. Cutting out drugs or alcohol can also help alleviate inflammation and pain. Everyone is different so there will not be a one size fits all solution for pain relief. However, working with a trusted medical specialist and having an open mind can lead to serious pain relief.