Massage Therapy After a Car Accident: Benefits and Healing

Whether you are in BC or Ontario, being involved in a car accident can be physically and emotionally traumatic. Whether or not you sustain serious injuries in an accident, there are many benefits that you can take advantage of when you explore the lease agreement. It’s not just your body that will suffer during a collision; your mind and emotional state can be affected.

Many people are now reaping the benefits of massage therapy to help speed up their recovery time after a car accident. Soft tissue injuries, whiplash, and emotional issues can be remedied through continual massage therapy. 

Many insurance carriers are now including massage therapy as a basic part of their coverage packages. If you don’t have massage therapy coverage but were involved in a crash involving another vehicle, the other party’s insurance may carry this coverage for your benefit.

More doctors than ever before are recommending that their patients visit an ICBC Massage Therapy clinic following a car accident. The sooner that you can get an appointment, the better for your mind and body. Let’s take a closer look at a few of the benefits of having massage therapy after a car accident.

Concussion Treatment

One of the most common injuries sustained in a car accident is a concussion. Hitting your head during a car accident can cause serious swelling around the brain causing a concussion. The type of concussion you sustain often depends on where you hit your head and how hard the impact was. While most concussion symptoms, including dizziness, nausea, and headache, only last a few days, some can last for weeks or even months. 

Massage therapy can be a useful concussion treatment. Massage techniques that are designed to strengthen your nervous system can work well to relieve the lasting effects of a concussion. Suppose you have been involved in a car accident and are experiencing the symptoms of a concussion. In that case, you should immediately see your doctor and book an appointment with a massage therapist.

Whiplash Treatment

If you are in a car accident in which you were hit from behind or on the side, you may end up with a whiplash injury. The violent movement of the neck and head can create injuries in the upper spine and the neck’s soft tissues. You can experience pain, swelling and have trouble moving your neck in a natural range of motion. You may also experience dizziness and insomnia when you have a whiplash injury.

Massage therapy can help you to heal faster from your whiplash injury. With the right massage techniques, your circulation can be renewed to the damaged soft tissues encouraging cell regeneration and healing. 

Stress and Anxiety

Being involved in a car accident can be emotionally traumatic. You may suffer from issues related to your nervous system, including anxiety, nightmares, nervousness, and insomnia. Even if you are not physically injured in a car accident, that doesn’t mean that you will walk away without any scars. 

Massage therapy can help you to relieve some of these symptoms and get your nervous system back in balance. When your body is under stress, your muscles undergo a lot of tension resulting in soreness, headaches, and general discomfort. Your massage therapist can help you to work this tension out of your muscles allowing you to relax and become more centered and grounded. 

It is recommended that you seek massage therapy soon after your accident to help your body become rebalanced. Massage therapy has shown excellent results in people who have anxiety disorders and PTSD.

Spinal Cord Injuries

Spinal cord injuries happen more often due to a car accident than in any other scenario. The severe shock of an impact can cause your spinal cord and surrounding tissues to become inflamed and swollen. Spinal cord injuries can be mild or serious, depending on where the injury is located. 

Studies have shown that regular massage therapy can help patients with spinal cord injuries to recover more quickly and expand their range of movement. Massage techniques are designed to help improve circulation to the body’s muscles, including the spine, allowing for faster healing. Patients have experienced better results, a broader range of movement, and obvious signs of improvement with the right therapy.

Knee Injuries

If you have been involved in a car accident, it is likely that you may have sustained a knee injury. While in the seated position in a car, when a collision occurs, you can hit your knees on the dashboard, causing injury to the muscles and delicate tissues of the knee joint.

If you have damaged your ACL, you may have to undergo surgery to repair the tissues. Massage therapy has been found to be an effective complementary treatment for knee injuries. The improved blood circulation assists in regenerating these tissues giving patients critical pain relief and faster healing.

Generalized Pain

When you are involved in a car accident, your whole body will likely experience a harsh blow. Even if you don’t have any apparent injuries, you are likely to experience some level of pain and soreness around your whole body. Living with pain can extend other problems, including insomnia, moodiness, a lack of concentration, and anxiety and depression. 

Making an appointment to visit a massage therapist could be the first step towards your overall recovery. The relaxing and healing massage techniques can help to relieve some of your pain caused by muscle and joint inflammation. After a few visits, your tissues will start to heal, helping you to feel more like yourself.

Before seeking massage therapy following a car accident, it’s important that you see your doctor and discuss all of your treatment options. Massage therapy may help you relieve inflammation, reduce muscle tension, and encourage rapid healing through the increase in blood circulation. Keep your mental health in mind as you recover from a car accident. The traumatic incident can have a profound effect on your mental state. Seeking treatment from a massage therapist following a car accident can help you to heal faster and get back to your normal routine.