Knowing the Severity of Your Injuries From a Slip and Fall Accident
The severity of injuries resulting from a slip and fall accident varies on a case by case basis. That said, with falls yielding a record number of emergency room visits, it’s clear you could experience serious pain after an accident.
That’s why it pays to familiarize yourself with common slip and fall injuries symptoms. Knowing what to be on the lookout for helps you know how to treat a fall effectively.
Symptoms and Common Slip and Fall Injuries
Hitting one’s head is among the most common injuries from falling downstairs. If you bang your head, seek medical attention even if you don’t notice symptoms. Concussion symptoms aren’t always noticeable, and often, they don’t manifest right away.
Understanding how to treat a fall in which you hit your head starts with knowing what symptoms to look out for. Potential signs of a concussion include:
- Headache
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Ringing in ears
Symptoms of concussions will linger if left untreated. For this reason, they require evaluation by a medical doctor. Recovery from a concussion includes allowing your brain to heal by avoiding bright lights, loud sounds, reducing screen time (tv’s, computers, cell phones) and allowing ample rest. Once concussion symptoms have resolved it is important to utilize physical therapy for guidance on proper progression back to daily activities and proper progression back to more rigorous activities such as running and sports.
Soft tissue injuries are also among common slip and fall injuries. Often, a person doesn’t spot any outward signs of harm when these are present. That’s because the damaged tissue is internal. This is another reason it’s important to monitor your symptoms and then determine the best treatment after a fall.
Two examples of soft-tissue mobilization options for injury recovery are the Graston Technique and Active Release Technique.
For example, maybe you’ve fallen victim to the common slip and fall injury of falling down the stairs onto your back. If this is the case, it’s essential to know what to do. It’s not uncommon to experience lower back pain from falling down the stairs. If your back pain after falling down the stairs persists for a few days, you should seek medical attention. Depending on the severity of the back pain, you can either see a physical therapist or a medical doctor as your first point of contact. Some people even choose to work with athletic trainers, too. These professionals find the best ways to assist with injury recovery for athletes. Having a competent medical team may mean the difference between rapid healing and chronic injury developing.
How to Treat Your Injuries After a Slip and Fall Accident
Minor pain from a slip and fall injury might go away with rest. Applying an ice pack or taking over-the-counter pain medication can also help. No matter what you choose, taking a whole body health injury recovery option is the best call. Healing certain parts of your body helps, but when you focus on the whole, it’s a better option.
That said, it’s particularly important to see a doctor and scheduled an appointment with a physical therapist if the pain doesn’t subside after a few weeks (even if the discomfort feels relatively minor). Severe pain and/or back pain that’s accompanied by other common slip and fall injuries symptoms like abdominal discomfort or numbness around the back and surrounding area also warrants a doctor visit.
A sprain or strain is another injury you may sustain that often indicated a slip and fall back injury. This can result in neck pain after falling down the stairs or after a car accident. Neck or back pain after falling down might also signal a spinal cord injury. These types of spine injuries from falls may result in paralysis. So, it’s best to head to the emergency room if changes in sensation in your legs or arms develop. This visit allows you to identify lower back pain causes.
Some of these possible symptoms and results?
- Pain or numbness in hands
- Lower back pain and issues
- Hip or leg pain
- Shoulder, elbow or hand pain
- Ankle and wrist pain
Slip and fall accidents commonly result in broken bones. These may require immobilization in a cast or even surgery to correct the issues and promote injury recovery. Broken bones can cause internal bleeding if left untreated. For this reason, understanding the best treatment after a fall helps you avoid worst-case scenarios like these.
Why You Should Seek Out a Professional to Provide the Best Treatment After a Fall
These are all reasons to see a doctor or a physical therapist after a slip and fall accident. For example, if your lower back pain or another type of pain from falling down the stairs is only minor, you might try basic remedies like an ice pack first. However, the only way to truly know how severe your injuries are and to learn the best treatment after a falling accident is to let a professional evaluate you.
Medical professionals agree that it is better to be proactive about your injury instead of ignoring it. Why? Research shows that early medical attention leads to faster healing times.
A medical professional will determine how to treat a falling accident properly. That may involve everything from physical therapy to surgery depending on the extent of your slip and fall injury or back pain. Luckily, by taking their advice and acting fast, your odds of a fast and smooth recovery increase in a big way.
To learn the best treatment after a fall and begin injury recovery, consult with a physical therapist. They can prescribe an exercise plan for easing discomfort and enhancing recovery from common injuries from a slip and fall accident. To find a physical therapist near you and book an appointment, use the BetterPT clinic location tool or download the BetterPT app. You’ll feel comfortable and be up on your feet again after your slip and fall back pain or injury in no time! Find a physical therapy clinic near you and schedule your first appointment today.
