After a car accident it might seem like your injuries are minor, but the days and weeks that unfold after the crash occurs can reveal a lot about your likelihood of sustaining chronic pain over the next several years.
Chronic pain can be debilitating, making it impossible for you to return to work or to enjoy activities that were fun prior to the accident.
Post-accident chronic pain may be tied to a legal claim for compensation if someone else’s negligence caused the accident. You need to protect your future by speaking with a Jupiter personal injury attorney.
According to a recent research study, more than 50 million Americans live with chronic pain. That’s according to data from the National Institute of Health, and that’s compared to more than 21 million individuals diagnosed with diabetes and 14 million patients diagnosed with cancer.
The primary therapies for treating chronic pain are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen or using opioids, which have dangers of their own.
Understanding that you may be suffering from chronic pain is your best chance to report your symptoms to a doctor and to explore all possible avenues for treatment.
Chronic pain is extremely common after a car accident because your body can be tripped around inside the vehicle in ways that you may never be able to recover from.
Defining Chronic Pain
Chronic pain refers to situations in which you are suffering from severe pain that lasts longer than 6 months. Depending on the day and other circumstances in your life, chronic pain can be inconvenient, debilitating, continuous or come in episodes. It can take a serious emotional and physical toll on an accident victim.
Most Common Sources of Chronic Pain
The most likely sources of chronic pain for Americans today include backaches, injury pain, joint pain, and headaches. After a car accident, being thrown around inside the vehicle is likely to cause pain shortly after the accident happens.
Your doctors may treat this with pain medication and suggest exercises or other methods you can use to support recovery.
It’s not uncommon, however, for an accident victim to continue suffering long after the accident and this initial treatment is over with. This kind of chronic pain has the potential to shape and change your life in big ways.
Whiplash is one of the most common types of medical problems that patients struggle with after a Florida car accident. At a certain point, your doctor may inform you that there’s nothing else you can do to support recovery aside from taking medication when the pain is unbearable.
Learn More About: Whiplash Symptoms Following a Car Accident
Undoubtedly, you may find that a severe injury like this has made it impossible for you to live and enjoy life as you did before the car accident. This is why you may need to consult with a Jupiter personal injury lawyer about filing a legal claim.
Three Signs That You May Be Suffering from Chronic Pain
What starts off as a small problem can turn into dull and consistent pain, indicating that you need to speak to your physician about treatment options.
There are three major signs that you may be suffering from chronic pain. These include:
- Constant feelings of soreness, stiffness, tightness or discomfort, particularly if this is located near the injury site.
- Pain that feels like it is burning, electrical, aching or shooting.
- Severe pain that never fully goes away.
If you notice these symptoms after a car accident, even if you do not remember injuring that particular part of your body, it is important to report this to your physician as soon as possible.
The shock and adrenaline experience by many individuals who have just been involved in a car crash can hide these symptoms indicating chronic pain. The sooner you catch chronic pain the better chance you have of recovering from it.
Also Read: A Complete Guide to Long Term Care After a Car Accident
Talk to a Jupiter Personal Injury Attorney for Chronic Pain Problem
When someone else’s reckless driving caused an accident, it may be difficult to tell right away just how this will affect your day-to-day life.
Speaking with your medical team and your Jupiter injury attorney, however, may open your eyes to the many ways that your life will never be the same.
Filing a personal injury claim may be the only way to help you receive the compensation you deserve for this devastating chronic pain injury.
Curious about whether you should get medical attention or “tough it out” post-accident? Read this blog to learn why it’s a mistake to ignore your pain: Why You Shouldn’t “Tough It Out” After a Car Accident