Injuries often happen at the worst possible time. You may be feeling perfectly healthy and fit… and then an unexpected accident occurs, leaving you debilitated and riddled with pain.
Perhaps you slip and fall in a grocery store, or are involved in a car accident where your neck is injured. You may be hurt while on vacation or after being knocked off your bicycle.
Whatever the cause, even mild injuries can have a lasting effect on your work and personal life. There are many different types of injuries, and each kind may take a different length of time to recover. During the recovery process, you may be unable to perform well at work or complete daily tasks as effectively as you once did.
Happily, there are several effective strategies you can use to help speed your recovery after an injury. If you’ve been injured in an accident, try these six recovery strategies below.
Visit a doctor. Before you do anything else, it’s important to seek medical attention after an injury. You should consult with a doctor even if the injury seems mild, since certain types of injuries exacerbate over time. Your doctor can assess the amount of damage accurately, and recommend appropriate treatment.
Follow your doctor’s advice. There’s no point in going to a doctor if you aren’t going to follow their advice. One of the worst things you can do after being injured is to ignore the advice of your doctor. Take all medications prescribed to you, attend follow-up appointments, and stick to suggested rehabilitative exercises and recommendations.
Eat right. Research has shown that nutrition can optimize your body’s healing process. After suffering from an injury, be sure to eat plenty of foods rich in vitamin C and A, such as citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, and spinach. You should also incorporate foods with omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and walnuts, which can reduce inflammation and pain. An injury to the body increases its demand for protein as well, so try to consume adequate amounts of high-quality protein such as beef, chicken, and seafood.
Reduce stress. Stress can slow down your body’s ability to heal and recover significantly. After suffering from an injury, be good to yourself, and try to avoid activities you know will cause you stress. You may want to try out relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga.
Respect your body’s needs. Since your body is working hard to recover, it can crash if you demand too much from it. Do not push yourself to go to work, exercise, or perform other responsibilities if you do not feel physically up to it. By pushing yourself too hard, you run the risk of preventing your body from recovery and injuring yourself further.
Talk to a personal injury lawyer. The cost of medical treatment, rehabilitation services, and other expenses related to recovery can really add up. And if your injury has prevented you from going to work, the resulting lost wages mean further financial damages. That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to a Florida personal injury attorney if you’ve been injured in an accident caused by another’s negligence.
After assessing your unique experience, your attorney can explain your rights and options. A skilled personal injury lawyer may be able to help you hold the party who caused your injury accountable through a personal injury claim. With a successful claim, you can obtain compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and overall pain and suffering, while shedding light on bad practices so that no one else is harmed the same way you were.
About the Author:
John K. Lawlor, a South Florida personal injury attorney who focuses his practice on complex personal injury, wrongful death, and professional malpractice, founded the law firm of Lawlor, White & Murphey in 1998. Since 1995, Mr. Lawlor’s trial advocacy and litigation skills, as well as his wide-ranging legal expertise, have provided plaintiffs and their families with a distinct advantage when seeking financial compensation and justice for injuries caused by the negligence of others. Mr. Lawlor is an EAGLE member of the Florida Bar Association and an active member of the American Association for Justice, the Broward County Justice Association, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and several professional associations.