After a car crash, it’s common for survivors to feel only a bit banged up shortly after the crash. Stress, adrenaline, and shock can dampen some of the early sensations of pain, leaving you feeling like you escaped the crash relatively pain-free. Unfortunately, when it comes to auto crashes, many patients will be left dealing with more intense pain from injuries they sustained in the crash over the next few days. We call this delay the 72-hour rule, and it is when hidden injuries and pain start to reveal themselves after the initial shock, stress, and adrenaline wear off. Let’s take a closer look at the 72-hour rule and how Specialty Pain Management can help you recover and manage your pain after an auto crash.
Common Delayed-Onset Injuries That Require Specialized Treatment
Many types of injuries you’re likely to suffer from after an auto crash occur as inflammation increases and tissues that were damaged in the crash are further stressed by daily life. By far the most common types of injuries that can present with pain after 72 hours are soft tissue injuries. The most common types of soft tissue injuries include:
- Ligament sprains
- Muscle tears
- Thoracic and lumbar soft tissue damage
- Myofascial tissue damage
Besides soft tissue injuries, other common delayed-onset injuries can include facet joint injuries, disc herniations, and headaches.
Why Traditional Treatment Isn’t Always Enough
When you’re dealing with the early stages of a delayed car crash injury, it’s common for traditional treatments to include over-the-counter pain medications, icing, and rest. While this can work for minor injuries, structural injuries like soft tissue damage and joint damage require more specialized care. Early care as soon as possible to diagnose and treat delayed onset injuries is crucial.
Minimally Invasive Diagnostic and Treatment Options
Depending on the type of injury you are dealing with after a car crash, there are a variety of minimally invasive and diagnostic treatment options available to you. Common treatment options we use for delayed onset injuries include:
- Facet joint injections (treatment)
- Nerve blocks (both for diagnostics and for treatment)
- Radiofrequency ablation (treatment)
- Trigger point injections (treatment)
Specialty Pain Management can help you choose the best minimally invasive and diagnostic treatment options available to you after an auto crash, giving you the fastest recovery possible and minimizing pain management complications.
The Michigan No-Fault Advantage
The state of Michigan uses a no-fault insurance system after a crash, allowing patients to get affordable comprehensive pain management treatments. After your crash and documentation of your injuries and recommended treatments are provided to the insurance company, our team can get started ensuring you receive the highest level of care possible. It is crucial that you don’t delay being seen after a crash, as this can make it more difficult to prove that your symptoms are delayed onset injuries as time passes.
The Specialty Pain Management Approach
At Specialty Pain Management, our team of board-certified pain management doctors has decades of experience helping auto crash patients get care and coverage for delayed onset injuries. Our center can help you with everything from the initial evaluation and diagnostics to minimally invasive treatment options and ongoing care throughout your recovery journey. To get started with our umbrella approach to delayed onset injuries after a crash, contact our offices as soon as possible.
Take the Next Step and Get Seen for Suspected Delayed Onset Pain After a Car Crash at Specialty Pain Management
When a car accident strikes, you need an experienced team to help ensure you’re diagnosed and treated as soon as possible after a crash. Specialty Pain Management and our team of delayed onset injury and pain management specialists are here to be your team you can count on. Contact us today and get seen as soon as the same day or the next day after your crash for accurate diagnostics and protected coverage under Michigan’s no-fault insurance system.