What Kind Of Doctor To See After A Car Accident?

What Kind Of Doctor To See After A Car Accident?

When you’ve been in a car accident, it is important to see a medical doctor as soon as possible. A doctor will perform a physical exam and diagnose and treat any car accident injuries. For mild injuries, you may see your primary care physician for a thorough evaluation and treatment. For moderate to severe injuries, you may require emergency medical attention at the scene of the car accident or shortly after. If you receive medical care at the scene of the accident, the emergency responders will likely recommend continued evaluation with an emergency room or urgent care doctor. For follow-up treatment and care, you will want to see a medical doctor who specializes in car accident injuries to provide you with comprehensive support.

The Different Types of Doctors To See After A Car Accident

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may seek out treatment and care from a variety of doctors. Different types of doctors and providers offer unique ways to help you recover after a car accident. A car accident chiropractor will utilize an all-natural and holistic approach to manage your symptoms and treat your injuries. Car accident chiropractors treat all types of musculoskeletal injuries including whiplash, back pain, strains, and fractures. A general practitioner will commonly treat minor injuries and illnesses including acute or short-term conditions and injuries like wound care. An osteopath is a licensed practitioner who practices an alternative medicine that focuses on the physical manipulation of muscles, soft tissues, and bones.

Orthopedic doctors work with the entire musculoskeletal system and will treat car accident injuries that are causing you pain. An orthopedic doctor can prescribe medications and develop a personalized treatment plan to address the root cause of your symptoms after a car accident. You may see an osteopath after a car accident to focus on whole-body healing with a more hands-on approach to treatment techniques. Another alternative medicine option for treating car accident injuries is to meet with a naturopathic doctor. Naturopaths use a wide array of natural and non-invasive treatment techniques to promote self-healing from minor injuries. A massage therapist will also utilize a hands-on approach, including soft tissue manipulation, to help speed up your recovery. Therapeutic massage helps increase circulation and reduce inflammation to provide you with pain relief from car accident injuries. You may also receive a referral to a neurologist after a car accident if you experience neurological symptoms like tingling, weakness, or numbness.

How General Practitioners Help After a Car Accident

You may not experience pain or other symptoms immediately after a car accident, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have any injuries. In fact, waiting to go to the doctor after a car accident can actually cause you to develop chronic pain and other complications if you do not receive medical attention right away. Before you see your general practitioner after a car accident, there are a few things you need to know. 

General practitioners treat a wide range of acute illnesses and minor injuries, from the common cold to minor scrapes and infections. If you were injured in a car accident, you want to see a doctor who specializes in treating your specific injuries. Your general practitioner can help with stitches, wound care, and other minor injuries. However, moderate to severe injuries should be treated by a specialist with extensive training and expertise in treating car accident injuries. Your general practitioner may not be fully equipped to manage the complexity of a car accident injury and its effects on your musculoskeletal system. 

Because car accident injuries can have delayed symptoms, you want to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you see a car accident doctor, the sooner you can receive an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for your specific injuries and healthcare needs. While a common car accident injury like whiplash can take hours or even days for symptoms to fully appear, a car accident doctor will know what signs and symptoms to look out for before you even realize you have an injury. Get started on treatment with the right doctors as soon as possible for your best chance at long-term recovery after a car wreck.

How Osteopaths Help After a Car Accident

An osteopath is a doctor of osteopathic medicine who takes a holistic approach to improve your overall health and wellness. These licensed physicians focus on treating the whole person, not just the injury or condition that brings them to their office. An osteopath can help you recover from car accident injuries with a variety of treatments and techniques, including hands-on, manual treatments, prescribing medications, and even performing surgery. Doctors of osteopathic medicine attend medical school and train in manipulative medicine to provide complementary care to conventional medical treatments. Whether you are experiencing lingering pain from an untreated injury or your injuries have not responded to other treatment approaches, an osteopath may be able to help.

You may visit an osteopath after a car accident for manual therapies and alternative treatment options that treat people as a whole instead of targeting a specific set of symptoms or injuries. Osteopaths can also specialize in specific areas of medicine, like car accident injury care and recovery. An osteopath can perform the same diagnostic tests as a medical doctor to assess your injuries after a car accident. An osteopath will typically incorporate a combination of allopathic and osteopathic medicine into your treatment plan. 

In addition to hands-on treatment approaches like spinal manipulation and therapeutic massage, an osteopath may also assess how your nutrition and environment play a role in your rehabilitation and recovery process. Work with an osteopath to help restore your body to its normal functionality by reducing tense muscles, improving healthy blood flow and lymphatic drainage, and relieving pain and discomfort after a car accident. A car accident may leave you with back pain, and an osteopath will take a holistic approach to assess how your injuries and back pain have impacted your whole body.

How Orthopedic Doctors Help After a Car Accident

After a car accident, visit an orthopedic doctor for a comprehensive approach to injury diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Orthopedic doctors who specialize in car accident injuries can address all kinds of musculoskeletal injuries and issues. An orthopedic doctor can diagnose injuries, develop treatment plans, write prescriptions, assist with rehabilitation, and perform surgery when appropriate. Car accident injuries are typically complex and affect more than one aspect of your musculoskeletal system. A common car accident injury like whiplash may primarily cause muscle strain in your neck, but it can also affect healthy functioning in your spine, nervous system, and upper back. An orthopedic doctor will work with you to reduce your pain and other symptoms while also treating the root cause. 

Orthopedic doctors can support you through the recovery and rehabilitation process after a car accident injury. Some injuries may restrict your mobility, which can lead to weakened and stiff muscles. An orthopedic doctor can help you regain movement, strength, and range of motion after a car accident injury. When you see an orthopedic doctor who specializes in car accident injuries, they will also work with you to prevent further injury or complications like chronic pain. Visit an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible after a car accident to avoid pain and other complications from an untreated injury. When left untreated, car accident injuries can impact your strength, mobility, and overall healthy functioning. 

From whiplash to broken bones to strains and sprains, orthopedic doctors can assist with a wide range of acute injuries. A car accident injury may require continued treatment and support while you recover. An orthopedic doctor will develop a personalized treatment plan for your injuries that will start with nonsurgical treatments. If an injury does not respond well to conservative approaches, your orthopedic doctor may discuss surgical treatment options with you.

How Naturopathic Doctors (ND) Help After a Car Accident

You may consider naturopathic doctors to help you recover after a car accident. Naturopathic medicine involves natural remedies to support the body’s natural healing processes. This can include a variety of techniques like massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional education. A naturopathic doctor will typically incorporate traditional naturopathy with some aspects of modern science and medicine. A naturopathic doctor will focus on treating the whole person, which includes your mind, body, and spirit. If you have an illness or injury, a naturopathic doctor will aim to address the root cause so you can experience lasting relief. Treatment with a naturopathic doctor will typically emphasize education and prevention to help you meet your healthcare goals. 

Naturopathic doctors may recommend complementary medicine like homeopathy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine alongside naturopathic treatments. For car accident injuries, a naturopathic doctor may use manual treatment techniques like therapeutic massage to stimulate and release pressure points. Naturopathic doctors practice naturopathic manipulative therapy to help restore balance in your body through this hands-on approach to healing and recovery. Some medical providers also have training in naturopathic medicine or studied naturopathy during medical school. 

Doctors who treat from a naturopathic framework always strive to provide you with the most natural and least invasive treatment options for your injuries. If you were injured in a car accident, you may be interested in natural and drug-free approaches to pain relief and injury recovery. A naturopathic doctor will look beyond your symptoms to address the underlying cause of your pain and discomfort. They will also walk you through effective ways to manage your physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. A naturopathic doctor will also provide you with preventative care and help you focus on your overall health after a car accident.

How Massage Therapists Help After a Car Accident

Even a minor car accident can result in injuries that affect your physical health and wellbeing. A general rule of thumb for car accidents is that if your car sustained any kind of damage, it is likely that your body did too. As you recover from a car accident injury, you may be dealing with symptoms like pain, weakness, stiffness, and decreased mobility. A massage therapist can target muscles and tendons affected by the car accident and promote healing and faster recovery. When you visit a massage therapist after a car accident, they will use hands-on therapies to help restore healthy blood flow to the area, which brings oxygen and other nutrients to jumpstart the healing process. Massage therapy offers a drug-free approach to pain relief, reduced inflammation, and improved mobility in your joints and soft tissues. 

Massage therapists use touch and pressure to address soft tissues in the body, including muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Massage therapy can help relieve pain, reduce stress, promote relaxation, and help you rehabilitate from an injury. This manual approach to therapy involves applying pressure and gently manipulating soft tissues throughout the body. You may work with a massage therapist after a car accident to address painful or tense areas and promote healing and rehabilitation. A car accident can impact your mental health as well as your physical health, and a massage therapist can help you relax and destress after a traumatic event like a car accident. 

Visit a massage therapist after a car accident for complementary care in improving your mobility and range of motion after an injury. From minor aches and pains to a whiplash injury, massage therapy can provide you with drug-free pain relief. Massage therapy will reduce inflammation in your muscles, which allows your muscles to loosen and relax. By addressing swelling and stiffness in your muscles, massage therapy can help you experience increased flexibility and allow you to return to your regular routines sooner.

How Neurologists Help After a Car Accident

If you experience any neurological symptoms like tingling, numbness, weakness, or chronic headaches after a car accident, you should see a neurologist. Many car accident injuries can have delayed symptoms, which means you may not fully experience these symptoms for hours or even days after the accident occurred. A neurologist can help diagnose any potential neurological injuries or conditions after a car accident, like a traumatic brain injury. A sudden blow to the head during an accident can lead to a concussion, which is the most common type of traumatic brain injury. Neurologists also treat car accident injuries that may cause nerve damage. Any injury that impacts your brain, spine, or nervous system can be diagnosed and treated by a neurologist. 

The most common neurological condition caused by a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. This type of injury can negatively impact the brain’s normal functioning and even lead to bruising or bleeding of the brain. All head injuries should be taken very seriously and get checked out by a doctor right away after an accident. An emergency physician may recommend follow-up care with a neurologist for a more thorough diagnosis and treatment plan to address your car accident injuries. Neurologists have extensive experience in treating car accident injuries and can identify signs and symptoms that will inform your plan of care. An injury that impacts your brain or nervous system may require a neurological exam that would be performed by a neurologist. Neurological exams can test for common and complex neurological conditions that may occur as a result of a car accident. A neurologist can test your mental status, motor skills, balance, and coordination after a car accident to determine the best course of treatment.

Diagnostic Tests For Car Accident Victims

When you visit a doctor after a car accident, they will likely recommend diagnostic testing to help assess your injuries. Some car accident injuries are obvious to the naked eye, while others may require additional testing and evaluation. Follow your doctor’s advice on which diagnostic tests they recommend for you and your injuries. 

The most common diagnostic tests for car accident victims include X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs. Other tests may include ultrasound and neurological testing. The type of diagnostic testing your doctor recommends will depend on the type and severity of your injuries. When you get into a car accident, your body floods with adrenaline, which can actually affect your awareness of symptoms. You may not realize you have suffered any internal injuries without the support of diagnostic testing. Internal injuries like brain damage, herniated discs, severe whiplash, and sprains can be detected with various types of diagnostic tests. 

Your doctor may order an X-ray to check for any damage to your bones or joints. X-rays are typically less expensive and provide quick information to your doctor about any potential injuries or damage. X-rays can be used to diagnose or rule out injuries like broken bones, dislocated joints, and some other types of internal injuries. For more detailed images, your doctor may also request a CT scan. Similar to an X-ray, a CT scan will offer a more in-depth look at soft tissues, organs, and nerves in addition to bones and joints. A CT scan is also a relatively quick exam and will help your doctor determine the most appropriate diagnosis. In some cases, your doctor may request an MRI scan, which takes longer to complete but will provide the highest detailed images of any damage done to your internal structures from a car accident.

How MRI Scans Are Used After A Car Accident

MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. An MRI scan uses high-powered magnets and radio waves to provide computer-generated images of structures inside the body. Your doctor may recommend an MRI to detect and diagnose injuries better than other diagnostic imaging tools. Your doctor may recommend an MRI for injuries to the head, face, neck, and spine. Unlike other diagnostic imaging tools, an MRI does not expose you to any amounts of radiation and is a non-invasive procedure. The MRI machine is shaped like a large tube, and you will lie still inside the machine while large magnets rotate around your body inside the structure. This will allow the MRI to create 3D images of your internal organs, soft tissues, and bones. Your doctor can utilize results from an MRI to look at your car accident injuries from a variety of angles and perspectives. 

If you suffer a blow to the head during a car accident, your doctor may request an MRI to help diagnose or rule out a concussion. A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury and can cause a wide range of symptoms. What might seem like a few headaches or mood swings after a car accident could actually be signs of a serious injury like a concussion. Injuries like a concussion can go undetected and untreated for a while if you don’t experience symptoms right away. That is why your car accident doctor may recommend diagnostic imaging tests like MRI scans to detect injuries you may not be aware of yet. An MRI can detect everything from minor soft tissue damage to acute inflammation that may cause other problems down the road if left untreated. When a doctor can’t get a clear enough picture of your car accident injuries with an X-ray or CT scan, they may order an MRI instead. MRIs are also recommended for neurology and taking a close look at the brain.

How CT Scans Are Used After A Car Accident

A CT scan, also known as a CAT scan, stands for computed tomography and uses a combination of X-rays and computer technology to generate images of the internal structures in the body. While CT scans do expose patients to small amounts of radiation, they provide fast and detailed images that will help detect injuries after a car accident. CT scans offer a more advanced look at car accident injuries than X-rays because a CT scan can create imaging for bones, joints, organs, and soft tissues. When your doctor requires a more detailed look at your car accident injuries, they may first request a CT scan. A symptom like lower back pain after a car accident may be a sign of an injury like a herniated disc or damaged nerve, which a CT scan can help detect.   

CT scans create cross-sectional images of your internal structures that provide your doctor with more detailed information on how an injury may have impacted your bones, soft tissues, blood vessels, and other parts of the body. A CT scan will typically take place with you lying down on a table while a machine rotates around you to take a combination of X-rays from different angles. These images are interpreted through state-of-the-art computer technology to produce cross-sections or 3D images of the scanned area. In some cases, your doctor may request a CT scan with contrast, in which a contrast dye given orally or intravenously will increase the level of contrast in the final images taken during the scan. A CT scan is painless and doesn’t require much preparation, which is why they are commonly used in emergency situations.

How X-Rays Are Used After A Car Accident

Most people associate X-rays with broken bones or dislocated joints. This type of diagnostic test is common for these types of injuries and can also be used to detect other car accident injuries. An X-ray provides a 2D image of part of the body in black and white contrast. An X-ray will detect issues and injuries with bones and joints with a noninvasive approach. Your doctor may order an X-ray to examine a particular area of the body after a car accident or to monitor your healing progress. An X-ray is a standard procedure that can be performed in an emergency or outpatient setting. You will need to remain still while the machine captures X-ray images to ensure the diagnostic images are clear. 

When you get an X-ray, the machine uses a small amount of radiation while creating these images of your body. This level of exposure to radiation is typically considered safe for most adults. However, you should not get an X-ray if you are pregnant, in which case your doctor may recommend an MRI instead. The results of an X-ray are typically available on the same day and will help your doctor determine the appropriate diagnosis and the best treatment options for your specific injuries. After a car accident, you may experience pain and other symptoms that can worsen with certain movements or activities. If your doctor suspects you have a broken bone or dislocated joint, you may experience difficulty with mobility in the area. X-rays can help provide your doctor with additional information about your specific injuries and also help monitor your progress toward healing and recovery.

How Ultrasound Is Used After A Car Accident

An ultrasound scan is perhaps best known for its use during pregnancy. However, an ultrasound may also be used to identify or diagnose car accident injuries. This type of diagnostic test can provide your doctor with more information about a potential injury or issue with organs, blood vessels, or soft tissues. Ultrasounds do not utilize radiation, which makes this type of diagnostic test safe and appropriate to use during pregnancy. These scans can also be used if you are experiencing pain, swelling, or other uncomfortable symptoms after a car accident. 

An ultrasound technician performs this type of diagnostic test with a wand-like apparatus known as a transducer. The sonographer, or ultrasound technician, will apply a special lubricating gel to your skin to help transmit sound waves and prevent friction as the transducer touches your skin. Depending on what area of the body you have symptoms, your doctor may recommend you fast or eat a specific diet in the hours leading up to the diagnostic test. The ultrasound transducer sends sound waves through your body that echo against dense objects inside the body, like your organs and bones. These sound waves and echoes send information to the computer that forms a picture of the area. 

Your car accident doctor may also incorporate therapeutic ultrasound into your treatment plan for car accident injuries. Chiropractors and physical therapists utilize therapeutic ultrasound to treat pain and promote healing in your soft tissues after an injury.

Why Choose Pro-Care For Your Car Accident Injury Needs

It’s normal to feel rattled after a car accident, unsure of how to proceed. But with the right clinic in your corner, you’ll be back on your feet in no time.

Pro-Care has a talented team of injury care specialists ready to treat your injuries and help you recover in full. We also guide you through the nuances of the settlement process, letting you get the care you need with no out-of-pocket costs.

If you’re injured and not at-fault, call Pro-Care today and get the treatments you need and the settlement you deserve!