Five tips to help your recovery from a car or work accident

When you suffer an injury in an auto or work accident, the experience can significantly impact your routine.?You may experience changes to your range of motion, ability to walk or exercise, difficulty sleeping, and a long road to recovery.

Tri County Pain Management Centers has assembled this list of suggestions to help you recover faster:

1) SEE A PAIN DOCTOR SOON AFTER THE ACCIDENT

Even if the accident or injury seems minor, see your doctor and a pain management specialist soon after the incident. Severe symptoms may not appear until later, but a pain doctor can help discover those early in the process and provide you tools to recover. A quality pain management physician will have specialized training in injury care to help you heal.

2) EAT THE RIGHT FOODS DURING RECOVERY

As you recover from an injury, it's important to feed your body nutrients that will help it to heal. An accident -- even a minor one -- can cause inflammation and swelling in your body, and your nerves can feel raw and irritated. Severe aches and pains can follow.?Fractures and more serious injuries also can bring lots of pain. Eat foods that reduce inflammation, and drink lots of fluids -- at least 64 ounces a day. Here are some examples of anti-inflammatory foods (talk to your doctor before factoring these into your diet):

-- Vegetables like spinach and kale.

-- Tomatoes and natural tomato products.

-- Fatty fish like salmon, tuna or sardines

-- Certain fruits, such as blueberries or oranges or strawberries.

-- Nuts that are high in protein, like almonds or walnuts

While recovering, it's usually best to avoid foods that can cause more inflammation, such as fried foods, processed meats and sugary drinks.

3) TAKE TIME TO RELAX

Many people try to jump right back into their regular daily routine immediately after an accident.?If possible, it's best to let your body have a break -- take at least a day or two off work -- and talk to your doctor about whether you should be working your normal schedule as you recover.?Likewise, your pain doctor can discuss other changes to your routine to help you heal, along with therapy and exercises that may help.

4) MOVEMENT IS GOOD

Ask your pain doctor about how much you should move after the accident. Keeping your body moving is usually a good thing, but some injuries won't permit the range of motion you're used to.?Ask your doctor about all of this, as certain injuries may not respond well to movement soon after an injury, such as certain sprains.

5) DON'T RUSH IT

It is human nature to want to "get back to normal" as quickly as possible after an accident, but sometimes it's best to be patient and accept that your body needs time to heal.?An accident injury can be a traumatic event, so be OK with giving yourself some extra time to get better.?

Pain management doctors are specialists in treating injuries from car and work accidents. At Tri County Pain Management Centers, we treat a wide range of painful injuries and conditions, including severe head injuries and concussions -- at 12 locations serving Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. For more info, call 215-486-1800 or visit www.tricountypmc.com