Car accidents happen every day. While many auto collisions leave people with only minor bruises and scratches, others aren’t so lucky. If you’ve been in a serious car accident, you may be dealing with chronic pain caused by your injuries.

While you may feel lucky and grateful for surviving your accident, you may still have a difficult time coping with the limited mobility or discomfort that is now your everyday reality. Your physical limitations may have put a damper on the activities you once enjoyed, severely impacting your quality of life.

If chronic pain is making your life more difficult, consider speaking with a skilled auto accident doctor. The team at HURT911 can develop a treatment plan tailored to your unique accident-related medical challenges.

Understanding Chronic Pain

Many people don’t understand what chronic pain is until they have the misfortune of personally experiencing it. Chronic pain doesn’t only affect your body; it can also have a profound impact on your mind.

People with chronic pain may experience psychological changes, such as irritability and frequent mood swings. Not knowing when the pain will strike and how intense it will be may bring about bouts of depression and anxiety. This is why people coping with chronic pain often require both medical and psychological help.

Symptoms of Chronic Pain

Many people hurt in a car accident experience some sort of pain from their injuries. This acute pain typically lasts a few days. Once your body heals, the pain dissipates.

Not everyone is so lucky. People with serious injuries may experience lingering pain for weeks or even months after their accident. If your pain lasts for three months or longer, chances are you’re dealing with chronic pain.

Many people with chronic pain develop chronic pain syndrome, which affects their body and mind. Symptoms of chronic pain syndrome include:

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Guilt
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Fatigue
• Social withdrawal
• Low sex drive
• Problems in personal and professional relationships

Causes of Chronic Pain Syndrome

Regardless of its origin, chronic pain syndrome is rooted in chronic and often severe and unpredictable pain that affects various aspects of a person’s life. Chronic pain syndrome usually develops in the aftermath of a traumatic accident or as a result of an ailment. Examples include:

• Car accidents causing whiplash, low back pain and brain injuries
• Slip and fall accidents
• Surgery
• Broken bones
• Medical malpractice resulting in injuries or nerve damage
• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Cancer

Ways to Cope with Chronic Pain

There are a variety of coping strategies people who are experiencing chronic pain from diseases or injuries can adopt. It’s important to find coping mechanisms that are healthy and effective. Avoid coping strategies that have negative side effects.

For example, some people attempt to self-medicate, either intentionally or inadvertently, using drugs or alcohol. Those temporary coping tools can potentially be worse than the disease or injury that’s causing your chronic pain.

Seek Medical Attention

First and foremost, seek help from a medical doctor. Never ignore your symptoms or assume they’ll go away on their own. Neglecting to seek medical attention may cause your pain to linger unnecessarily or become more severe. An experienced accident injury doctor will evaluate your symptoms and develop a personalized long-term treatment plan which may include pharmaceuticals, physical therapy and chiropractic care, as well as alternative treatments like acupuncture and regenerative therapy.

Take Care of Yourself

Dealing with chronic pain is a challenging ordeal. Don’t make things worse by being impatient with yourself. Instead, try taking care of your body and mind by doing things you love, getting plenty of rest, eating a body and mind-nourishing diet and spending quality time with family and friends.

Seek Psychological Support

Coping with chronic pain can feel like a lonely battle. Sometimes even the sincerest good intentions of family members and friends aren’t enough to help you deal with the impact of chronic pain. If you’re experiencing deep emotional trauma from your accident and pain, it may be time to reach out to a mental health professional experienced in helping people with chronic pain syndrome.

You may also find it helpful to participate in a support group alongside others whose lives are affected by chronic pain. Joining a support group can help you feel understood, supported and connected to people who understand what you’re going through.

Get Comprehensive Injury Care from HURT911 Injury Center in Atlanta

Car accident injuries can have a long-lasting effect on your body and mind. If you’ve been hurt in a car accident in Georgia, seek medical help right away. Early treatment of your injuries can help your body heal and decrease your chances of developing chronic pain.

Our experienced and compassionate team of medical doctors and chiropractors treat a variety of post-accident injuries, including whiplash, pain in your limbs and headaches.

To schedule your same-day appointment, call 1-800-HURT-911.