How to Double Check for Soft Tissue Damage After a Car Accident

Soft Tissue Damage: Painful & Dangerous

Car accidents are any person’s worst nightmare. They are terrifying, nerve-racking, and stressful. Unfortunately, car accidents can also cause major injuries. One of the most common injuries due to a car accident is soft tissue damage. Soft tissue damage is an injury to skin, muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Soft tissues support or protect nearby organs in the body. Soft tissue damage is very common. There are many ways soft tissue damage can happen such as; being a sports player, a runner, and a car accident. Here are ways to check for soft tissue damage after a car accident.

Have You Recently Been in an Accident?

Car accidents are not only scary but they can be stressful. Making sure everyone in your car and in the other party’s car is okay, is the first step. If someone is hurt the ambulance is called. Then, calling the police and exchanging insurance is next. Lastly, police will file a report, and then potentially calling a tow truck. Checking to make sure if anyone in your car is hurt is imperative. By knowing the signs and symptoms of a soft tissue injury, the paramedics can attend to someone else who may be in dire need of medical attention. You would also be saving the medical team time by knowing the signs and what to look for.

Know What to Look for in a Soft Tissue Injury

Soft tissue injuries are the most common injury when it comes to sports and accidents. There are ways to tell if a soft tissue injury has occurred such as; bruising, limited range of motion, pain, muscle weakness, and swelling. Here are a few treatment options for soft tissue damage:

• Ice or heat- Ice helps to control the swelling and the pain, and heat helps to ease muscle soreness and promote circulation.
• Elevation- Elevating an injury above your heart will decrease swelling.
• Rest- Resting your injury will prevent further damage.
• Medication- In some cases, you may need to take medication, such as a pain killer to diminish the pain or ibuprofen to minimize pain and control the swelling.
• Pain relief- There are other remedies to relieve pain other than medication, like a TENS unit or Biofreeze.
• Professional advice- In some cases you may need to seek professional care due to the injury, or if your soft tissue injury isn’t getting any better it’s best to seek professional advice. A doctor may perform an MRI, X-ray, or a CT scan, in order to give you the correct diagnosis, and then they will give you tips on how to treat the injury or may prescribe physical therapy.
• Compression- If swelling is present, a compression bandage may be appropriate to help minimize the swelling.
• Physical therapy- A physical therapist will work with you by manipulation and can help by assigning exercises that are right for you and your injury, to relieve pain and help you to regain normal and complete movement back.
• Surgery- This option is for more severe cases; however, it does happen.
• Immobilization- Minimizes pain, swelling, and prevents further injury.

Identify the Severity

There are several different ways to identify soft tissue injury. The easier ways to identify them are to look for signs like bruising, swelling, lack of mobility, and a lump on the site of the injury. There are also ways to identify the severity of a soft tissue injury such as; MRI, CT scan, and X-ray. The more severe types of soft tissue injuries are contusions, strain, sprain, abrasions, and avulsions. Overuse soft tissue injuries include; stress fracture, bursitis, and tendonitis. If the common tendon injuries aren’t taken care of correctly or a complication arises this may include; nerve injuries, bleeding, and vascular injuries. The complications are rare; however, they do happen and if they do seek medical attention immediately.

Find a doctor that works for you

A car accident is overwhelming, especially if you have an injury along with it. Having the best doctor by your side is essential. Finding a good doctor that works for you and your family is imperative, especially when an injury is involved. Choosing a doctor is an important decision. It will determine medically the type of care you will receive. Here are a few tips when finding a good doctor:

• Make a list of doctors in New York. Look for the best doctors in your area.
• Determine what kind of doctor you need and narrow down what doctors are the most relevant to your injury.
• Read and check online reviews of each doctor. It’s important to see others experience with that doctor.
• Look for experience. Having a doctor with a lot of experience is important. Choose carefully.
• Make an appointment with the doctor of your choosing.