Back pain is a common problem after a car accident. In fact, about 31 percent of people in motor vehicle accidents report some degree of chronic lower back pain even one year after their incidents. The good news is that the right management strategies can manage back pain and help you return to work. Here are some effective back pain management strategies our medical and chiropractic providers recommend.
Managing Back Pain from a Car Accident
First and foremost, seek medical attention as soon as possible after the car accident. Even if you do not feel any immediate pain or discomfort, get checked with a physical examination and imaging tests.
Some injuries, such as whiplash or soft tissue damage, may not present symptoms until days or even weeks after the motor vehicle accident. By seeking medical attention early on, you can prevent any potential long-term problems from these injuries.
Also, monitor your symptoms closely. Along with where your back pain occurs and how severe it is, take note of any stiffness or changes in how you can walk and perform other ordinary movements, such as bending.
Common car crash injuries which lead to back pain are:
- Whiplash – pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders and upper back which develops when the head jerks forward and then snaps back suddenly in a collision
- Disc herniation – the displacement of the soft inner core of a spinal disc from its hard outer shell due to hard impact
- Spinal fractures – a break, dislocation or compression of the spinal bones due to a sudden blow or collision
Once you have been medically evaluated and understand your injuries, you can implement proven strategies to manage your back pain.
Here are some recommended methods of treatment.
Pain Medication
Depending on the severity of your back pain, over the counter or prescription pain medication, such as muscle relaxants, may be necessary. Follow dosage instructions exactly as provided by your physiatrist or chiropractor.
Physical Therapy
A physical therapist can provide exercises and stretches to strengthen the muscles in your back, reducing pain and improving mobility.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractors use manual adjustments to realign the spine and relieve painful pressure on spinal nerves. They also can provide therapeutic massage, heat and cold therapy, TENS, myofascial release and other techniques for immediate and long-term pain relief.
Interventional Back Pain Management
A physiatrist is a doctor who specializes in controlling or eliminating pain caused by musculoskeletal and neurological conditions and injuries. Treatments can include:
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
- Epidural injections (guided by ultrasound)
- Radiofrequency ablation (using radio waves to block pain signals)
- Nerve blocks
- Trigger point injections
Interventional back pain management focuses on providing targeted relief for specific areas of pain. This can be very helpful for individuals with chronic back pain who have not responded well to other forms of treatment.
Returning to Work with Back Pain from a Car Accident
After your car accident, your pain management team will help you determine when you can return to routine activities at home and on the job. For many car accident patients, our rehab team evaluates how a number of conditions and motions in the workplace may impact back pain.
These conditions and movements include:
- Standing
- Sitting
- Lifting (particularly heavy lifting)
- Vibration from machinery and vehicles
- Contact stress on the back
- Repetitive motion
- Posture at a desk or workstation
You and your provider will work together to develop a return-to-work plan which will promote your overall health and safety and manage your back pain. This plan may include some restrictions on your usual duties to include lighter duty, no lifting, workstation modification and more.
Be sure to keep both your healthcare provider and employer informed on your level of pain and how the restrictions are helping or not helping. Open communication with both parties can ensure a successful return to work.
Car Accident Pain Care in Wilmington, DE
At Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers, our medical and chiropractic doctors work together to arrive at back pain solutions for car accident patients. Our goals are pain relief and improvement of function both at home and on the job.
To learn more about our services, please call us at (302) 529-8783, or request a visit online here. For your convenience, we have locations in Wilmington, Newark, Middletown, Smyrna, Dover and Mitford. Contact us soon!
