On a global scale, injuries accounted for more than 20% of recorded ill-health last year, according to the University of California School of Medicine. Some injuries are more traumatic than others and can leave lifelong neurological and physical side effects. If you’ve experienced a traumatic injury in your life, it’s crucial to know how you can start your road to recovery. So what do you need in order to start recovering well after a traumatic injury and set yourself on route to your new normal?
Seek Restitution If Possible
Injuries can be sustained at any moment — even while at work. For example, 140 police officers were injured during the Capitol Hill riots that occurred early this year. Some of these officers now bear brain injuries, cracked ribs, smashed spinal discs, and many more injuries. For many of these casualties, Washington DC injury lawyers will have been called in: it is recommended that victims seek legal consultation in the event that their traumatic injury may enable them to seek restitution — especially if their conditions resulted from a crime. Even if the source of your own injury was not as extreme as the Capitol riots, seeking restitution may help you obtain monetary rewards that can help shoulder your medical bills and subsequent monetary needs while you are on the road to recovery.
Seek Physical And Psychiatric Therapy
People who experience traumatic events are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, which affects around 5% to 10% of the general population, according to Harvard Medical School. If you experience symptoms of psychological unrest, it would be in your best interest to seek psychiatric therapy. You’ll be granted a safe space where you may vocalize your concerns and obtain aid that can help you process your experience in a healthy manner. Beyond psychiatric aid, you may also try to undergo physical therapy, which can help you recover from your injury, manage your pain, and improve your mobility. In some instances, it may even help you avoid the need for surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis, according to Howard LeWine M.D., Chief Medical Editor of Harvard Health Publishing.
Shift Your Lifestyle
Your body does want to recover, and it’s your job to help it reach its goal. You can help your body through its natural healing process by applying some necessary shifts to your lifestyle. For example, prioritize getting more sleep. The deeper into your sleep cycle you get, the better blood flow your muscles will receive. This brings along nutrients to help repair muscles and regenerate cells. Another way to shift your lifestyle is through your nutrition. If you regularly drank alcoholic drinks and ate fast food, you’ll need to significantly decrease your intake and instead, go for a more well-balanced diet. Making it a habit to wear compression garments in your day-to-day life is also a welcome lifestyle shift that can help speed up your recovery period.
A traumatic injury can change your life, but it does not mean it has to end. The road to recovering well may be daunting, but it is entirely possible with the right mindset and support around you. The most important thing is that you do not give up, and give yourself enough time to heal both physically and mentally.
