Dealing with a traumatic back injury is like dealing with a new type of life at times. You have to rethink how you approach the day and what your normal routine is. But at the same time you’re ready to get back in the swing of things. Here are 4 Things a Rockville back pain doctor Will Want You to Know After a Traumatic Back Injury:
1) Healing takes time. No matter how good of shape you’re in, it takes time for your body to heal from a traumatic injury. Rushing back too soon can result in the area being re-aggravated. Time is needed for the inflammation to decrease. Inflammation can cause a difference in circulation around the affected area and can also cause sensation changes. Considering these factors, it’s important for the body to have sufficient time to repair itself without the added stress of the person rushing back to start using the affected area again. The key is consistent progress and listening to your body, not pushing it too hard. This isn’t about enduring the most pain.
2) Decrease the pain and inflammation first without drugs. Medication has its place but a drug that blocks the sensation only masks the problem, not solving the issue. When we look at the effect medications can have on the body, perception of pain can be reduced overall, but the underlying problem is still present and can cause abnormal biomechanics based on the medications. For example, if a person has a type of medication to block out the pain in the back, the person might not use proper body mechanics and end up hurting the area further with increased load capacity. This might be caused because the person does not feel any pain in the area but the area is still recovering. Conversely, if the body has enough time to heal properly and the person learns the proper form to perform activities without pain, the affected area is equipped with the proper body mechanics to decrease the chance of the same type of injury again and has build up the strength to perform the desired activity. Thus the person can avoid being the pain cycle and cause actual healing.
3) Exercise is not for early stages of traumatic injury. Although exercise does help later in the healing process, at the early stage it will hinder your progress. After passing the acute stage, exercises and stretches are added to strengthen the injured area and add core stabilization drills to ensure a full recovery.
4) Stages of soft tissue healing: Acute, Repair and Remodeling Phase.
Acute phase: Initial phase when injury occurs. Usually within the first 24-48 hours after injury.
Repair Phase: When inflammation and swelling subside from injury area, therapy can start to address the problem area and stabilize it once pain is decreased.
Remodeling Phase: Creating new postural and movement patterns with the guidance of therapy. This is essential to not only return to everyday life but to gain new movement patterns to decrease the chance of an injury in the future.
These four things to consider will not only benefit you to pace yourself during your recovery, but are also an excellent resource to share with others that may feel they are not making enough progress quickly or need general knowledge about the steps to treating an injury.
Finally, if your back injury was caused by the negligence of another, whether it be in a car accident, or on-the-job, you may be entitled to compensation. Discussing your with a personal injury lawyer may be in your best interest. He or she may be able to help you get the compensation you deserve to help pain for things like medical bills, lost wages, as well as pain and suffering. If you think your injury may have been the result of someone else’s negligence, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Advanced Spine & Wellness Centers for their insight into traumatic back injuries.
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