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Steps you should take after the accident:

By Tim Haster, LMT

Ice! Sleet! Snow! Unfortunately this bad weather means it?s auto accident season. I truly hope none of you or your friends have had to experience this trauma. If you have, you should take certain steps immediately after an accident and during the subsequent months to assure your full recovery. It? s easier to address the injuries now and save yourself from long-term pain.

* Go to the ER. First you should always err on the side of caution and go to the emergency room for an examination (usually x-rays). In most cases your auto insurance or the at-fault party?s auto insurance should pay for all or most of your emergency room and other medical bills.

* Keep Moving. Even though you might not feel hurt, know that you are in shock that shock can last as long as 3 days before you really feel the pain. So take it easy and use pain-free movement. Try keeping the injured areas mobile but, at the same time, make sure you are not re-injuring yourself by doing too much.

* Apply Ice. The next step would be self-care. Apply ice (for 20 minutes every hour) for the first 48 hours after the accident. This dramatically helps to reduce inflammation and decrease pain.

* Get Massage. After the first 48 to 72 hours you should seek massage therapy. Why massage therapy? Massage therapy works directly on the injured area (unlike pills which treat the symptoms and not the cause) helping heal scar tissue and decrease pain. In most cases the injured areas are muscle tissue and connective tissue (tendons and ligaments). A qualified medical massage therapist can access and treat theses areas in conjunction with other health care practitioners (chiropractors, doctors, and physical therapists). In most cases, the injury will start to subside after the first week or two of treatment.

* Stick With It. I will not lie to you - it will be uncomfortable at first. By seeking treatment now you are dealing with the problem and it will not come back at a later date as a more severe issue or chronic pain. I maintain certain treatment protocols during your treatment with me. I will be seeing you for hands-on sessions two to three times a week for at least the first month or so. During this time I will be working on decreasing pain and increasing range of motion, which helps you return to a healthy condition. During the treatments you will be an active participant in your healing.

* Do Your Homework. While on the massage table and while away from me, I will be giving you homework including stretching and strengthening exercises (always using pain-free movement). In some ways your homework is more important than the actual treatment. The reason being is that you only see me for a couple of hours each week and then you go back to your daily life where the possibility if re-injuring yourself is at its highest.

* Deal with Your Emotions. During your recovery, you will also be going through a myriad of emotions such as anger, frustration and worry. These are all very common and can be dealt with either through talking with a close friend or in some cases counseling.

* Get Legal Help. Along with dealing with the physical and emotional pain, you will have monetary damages as well. I do advise you to talk to a personal injury attorney to make sure your rights are being protected.

* Start Strengthening Exercises. Throughout this process, you will get to know your body and be able to re-train it to function in a normal manner again. As part of the recovery process, I recommend various strengthening exercise. One of the most profound and all encompassing types of exercise is Pilates as it uses the body?s own mechanisms, strengths, and weaknesses to create balance. Who knows ? by implementing these healthy routines in your life you may even end up in better shape than before the accident.

If you have any questions on this process or on how massage can help, please don?t hesitate to give me a call. That?s what I?m here for!