Five Tips for Dealing with a Recent Injury

Have you suffered a recent musculoskeletal injury? Musculoskeletal injuries tend to have long lasting effects on the body. It is important to receive immediate medical care. It is also important to keep up with pain management and monitoring of the injury. If you have had an injury or any damage to your musculoskeletal system, the following medical treatments are both necessary and beneficial.

Seek emergency medical care if needed
Depending on the severity of your injury, you might require emergency medical care. If the injury is to your spine or neck, it might be best to seek medical treatment anyways. It is possible that life threatening symptoms could not show until much later. You might also require emergency medical care if you have a previous injury. Always evaluate the injury and decide if medical attention can wait. If you are not sure, consider visiting a local urgent care center for evaluation.

Schedule a follow up with your primary physician
If you received emergency medical treatment, it is likely that they requested that you follow up with your primary physician. Even if you decided to forgo medical treatment, it is best to receive a medical exam from your primary physician. They will evaluate your body and might send you for further imaging testing, such as an MRI scan. If the injury was significant or you reinjured a previous injury, you might also be referred to orthopedic doctors. Orthopedic doctors specialize in musculoskeletal injuries. While knee pain is the most common type of chronic pain, orthopedic doctors might also see those with lower back injuries, upper back injuries, or neck injuries.

Schedule all imaging immediately
Most healthcare professionals leave the scheduling of imaging to the patient. It is your responsibility to call your local imaging facility and to set up an appointment. It is also your responsibility to clear it with your insurance provider and to fully understand what is covered and what is not. For effective treatment, it is best to schedule all imaging immediately. Almost 59% of chronic pain sufferers reported an impact on their overall enjoyment of life. Some treatment options might not be available for an injury that never healed properly and led to chronic daily pain.

Be aware of any neurological changes
One of the biggest concerns of musculoskeletal injuries is the possibility of neurological problems. The spine protects all of the important nerves and muscles of the body. An injury can leave these areas unprotected or can even result in nerve damage. It is important to inform your orthopedic doctors or medical specialists of any acute pain that is related to nerve pain. Other neurological symptoms might include pain that radiates through the body or a loss of function of the legs or arms. These are serious symptoms that require immediate medical care.

Understand the importance of physical therapy
Physical therapy is often underrated, but can significantly improve the recovery rate of an injury. By 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a physical therapist employment growth of 36%. Physical therapy aids in healing the injured area, while also strengthening the surrounding muscles and bodily tissues. Even if your medical professional has not recommended physical therapy yet, it is worth it to request information. While physical therapy might not help every injury, it is not used often enough for those that it can help.

Bodily injuries can be short lived or they can persist and cause chronic pain. When dealing with chronic injuries, it is important to work with medical professionals that are familiar with the injury. Following orthopedic doctors? orders can also be helpful in recovery. Know when to seek emergency medical treatment and understand the advantages of physical therapy for a recent orthopedic related injury.