If you are involved in a vehicle wreck of any kind, it can be a difficult proposition to deal with. These accidents rack up a lot of bills and significant injuries.
Medical injuries from car accidents totaled more than $498 billion in costs in 2021. You may also deal with significant pain that can ail you for several years following the accident.
It’s important that you get rehabilitation services following a wreck, but first, stick to the basics. Using heat or ice following a car crash can help you more than you know.
These suggestions will help you out if you need to know whether to apply heat or ice after a car accident.
What Are the Benefits of Icing an Injury After a Car Crash?
First, consider the advantages of using ice or a cold compress following a car crash. Ice allows you to cut down on the swelling that you might experience following the wreck. Applying ice and cold packs will also curb blood circulation to the area to decrease inflammation and help to cut down on muscle spasms.
Using ice can assist you in minimizing your pain and bouncing back from your injuries.
Whiplash is a particular injury that requires the help of ice. Any recent or acute vehicle wreck injuries should involve the use of ice packs. Be particularly mindful of this if your injury took place within the past 2 days.
You should regularly apply these cold packs over the course of the next 48 hours to keep your swelling at bay and to manage the pain of your injuries.
When Is it Better to Use Heat for an Injury?
There are also situations in which it is best to apply heat following an injury. Applying heat works the opposite of ice packs, in that it stimulates more blood flow to the site of the injury.
When you are dealing with tension, stiffness, and general soreness, heat is your best friend. This will dilate your blood vessels to increase the flow of blood and assist you in healing from your injuries.
Not only will this ease the pain and tension in your muscles, but you will also be able to heal your injuries more quickly.
Is It Better to Use Heat or Ice After a Car Accident?
As you can see, both ice and heat have their place after you have suffered a car accident injury. As a good rule of thumb, you will generally need to apply ice first and then apply heating pads after your first couple of days of healing.
There are also a variety of details to keep in mind to let you know which is the best method to use:
Consider the Injury
Do your due diligence when understanding the injury that you are dealing with. Visit the help of a physician who can give you a quality diagnosis for your injuries.
After getting this initial appointment, your doctor will give you a regimen to follow for controlling the swelling and easing the pain in your joints.
It may also take some time for injuries to show up after a car accident. Start applying ice to your injuries even before the pain arrives. Adrenaline is a potent hormone that can dull the pain of your injuries before it begins to show up.
The sooner you apply ice, the easier it’ll be for you to heal long-term.
Understand the Severity
After your diagnosis, you’ll also get an idea of the severity of the injury. You may also have to seek rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Applying hot and cold treatments as you heal from your injuries will become even more important if your pain is chronic and severe.
Have Access to What You Need
Finally, make certain that you have access to whatever kinds of heat and cold therapy you need. When you’re going to apply cold therapy, make sure that you have an ice bag, cold pack, or other tools that can spread evenly across the injury.
It should be long-lasting so that you can stop the circulation and promote healing.
Heating pads are also valuable, particularly if they come with multiple settings. You may need to place a t-shirt, towel, or other barrier over the site of the injury so that it’s not too hot to the touch.
There are also several heating creams you can apply that will accomplish the same results.
There are several reasons to invest in hot and cold therapy so that you can bounce back from a vehicle wreck. Make sure that you have all of these tools at the ready in order to apply ice or heat for bruising in a way that serves you.
Applying Heat or Ice After Car Accident
These tips will teach you all about applying heat or ice after car accident incidents. Vehicle wrecks happen every day at varying degrees of severity. The more that you know about healing following an accident, the easier it’ll be for you to bounce back.
Take the time to also contact a law firm that can assist you. 388CEDA makes it our personal mission to help you get the compensation that you need following a vehicle wreck. Our injury professionals can help you if you’ve been involved in any kind of car wreck.
We’re available 24-7 and would be happy to assist you with your case. Take the time to contact us online or give us a call for further information.
