Being involved in an accident such as a serious car crash can mean both physical and mental trauma, both of which can take a very long time to fully heal. It can be a difficult road before you’re completely yourself again, able to move around without difficulty, be free from anxiety, and able to return to work. Here’s what happens during the recovery process.
Physiotherapy
The body is an amazing organic structure that is unbelievable good at keeping you alive and repairing injuries. Short of growing you a new limb, the body can heal almost any wound that doesn’t kill. However, in order to restore full function to a person’s manual dexterity or their mobility, in as quick a time as possible, physiotherapy is often required.
First, a complete assessment should be conducted by the clinic providing the physiotherapy. The information should include a history of the accident and injuries sustained, the level of pain the patient is in, and the level of mobility they currently have. After the assessment, physiotherapy treatment can be planned. This will likely include, exercises, some of which can be very strenuous, and massages. ;
Depending on the nature and severity of an injury, physiotherapy can be yield great results in a couple of weeks, or for more serious injuries, a few months. In some severe cases, full mobility may never return, but physiotherapy goes a long way to restoring some, if not a high level of function to the patient.
Counseling
While the physical trauma may be more apparent, the effects on the mental state of a patient involved in an accident can be just as debilitating. Patients can suffer from frustration as they can no longer do what they used to take for granted such as just being able to walk. If a person’s work or cherished activity depends on mobility that has been affected, then there is also the anxiety of being unable to return to work or the fear of never being able to do the hobby or sport again. This anxiety and fear can take a downward spiral, causing a lack of motivation, self-worth, and self-esteem issues and can lead to depression.
People involved in an accident sometimes develop PTSD, a condition that has often been associated with soldiers returning from a conflict zone. This condition itself causes even further emotional and mental issues, making full recovery even more difficult.
Financial
Getting back to work is an important factor in getting back on your feet. Not only does it return patients to a sounder financial footing, but it also gets people involved in social interaction. It’s a fundamental part of recovery and moving on from an accident.
Recovery from a serious accident involves various forms of support and treatment. The patient will most likely require some form of hospital treatment followed by physiotherapy sessions after. Patients also need some form of counseling to make sure that mental issues do not become something that hinders a return to a normal life. Lastly, they will need the emotional and moral support of friends and family to see them through a very difficult time in their lives.
