Recovering from Back Injuries

If you have injured your back, it can be a disheartening and debilitating challenge to overcome. Nonetheless, with some simple lifestyle changes, plenty of rest, and competent medical care, you can substantially increase your odds of a full recovery. If your back pain persists and does not at least start to get better within a few days, it’s best to see a healthcare professional for advice on how to proceed.

Back injuries are among the most severe types of injury you can suffer from. Even more frustrating is the fact that back injuries often don’t become symptomatic for days, weeks, or months after an accident. If you’ve suffered a back injury caused by a car or truck accident, an accident caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, a construction accident, or a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle accident, let the Bethlehem back injury lawyers at Drake, Hileman & Davis help.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Caring for Your Back Injury

A few tips on recovering from a back injury can go a long way towards the healing process and a shorter and more certain recovery. Some of the do’s and don’ts include:

Do’s

• Immediately after you experience back pain, stop whatever you were doing to cause the pain and apply ice to numb the area and reduce inflammation. Ice should be applied for about 20 minutes every 6-to-8 hours for 2-to-3 days. Remember not to apply ice directly to your skin but use some type of damp cloth or a sealed baggie to keep the ice in. Direct application can damage tissue and nerve endings.
• Lie flat on your back on a hard surface rather than a soft bed to help relax the muscles, and sleep in a position that’s comfortable for your spine.
• Try massaging the pained muscle with firm pressure. Press on the area for 30-to-60 seconds and rub the immediate surrounding area in a circular fashion.
• Stay hydrated and drink a lot of water when you are recovering. Dehydration can affect the strength of your spinal muscles.
• Seek medical advice as to what pain killers may be most effective, what dosages to take, and how often to take them. Avoid opioids to reduce the chances of addiction.

Don’ts

• Don’t try to simply ignore the pain and “muscle through” it. You have to let your back recover before performing any strenuous activity.
• Don’t sleep on your stomach.
• Don’t perform repetitive twisting or any heavy lifting to avoid disrupting the healing process.
• Perhaps most importantly, don’t simply ignore how you injured yourself in the first place. Use good posture, be wary of any heavy lifting, and learn to lift with your legs rather than your back and arms. Do some simple exercises to strengthen your core,  and move around and stretch every 15 minutes or so to help prevent injury. Keep an eye on your weight — this has many benefits along with reducing back pain.

Contact the Bethlehem Back Injury Lawyers For More Information on Back Injuries

If you have suffered a back injury or any other type of injury in Pennsylvania, seek medical care and be sure to document your treatment. Contact the Bethlehem back injury lawyers at Drake, Hileman & Davis for your free consultation.