A car accident can cause many kinds of injuries, from cuts and concussions and broken bones. The type of doctors or other treatment provider you may need can be just as varied. In some cases, someone who has been seriously injured may need to see multiple providers, such as an orthopedic surgeon and a pain management specialist.
Here are the symptoms, conditions, and the corresponding doctor or medical provider you should see.
Orthopedic Surgeons
An orthopedic surgeon may be need to treat injuries to the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Some orthopedic surgeons are specialists in a particular area, such as the hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hands, and the spine. Orthopedic surgeons treat more than just broken bones; anything involving soft tissue damage, such as torn muscles and ligaments, falls within their area of expertise.
- Swelling
- A visible deformity
- Issues with mobility
- Difficulty bearing weight
- Bruising
- Headaches
- Pain in the shoulder, back, or neck
- Numbness, tingling, or burning sensations in your arms, hands, or fingers
- Grinding or popping sounds when moving joints
Conditions orthopedic surgeons treat
- Sprains and strains
- Muscle spasms
- Torn muscles and ligaments
- Pinched nerves
- Slipped and herniated discs
Depending on the type of injury, one of these surgical procedures may be needed:
- Bone fusion (using a graft to connect bones)
- Debridement (removal of tissue)
- Internal fixation of bones through pins, screws, or plates
- Joint replacement surgery
- Repair to ligaments or tendons
In addition to surgery, orthopedic surgeons may also prescribe medication or make referrals to other providers like physical therapists.
Physical therapists
One of the above doctors may refer you to a physical therapist as the main source of treatment, or for follow-up after another procedure, like surgery. A physical therapist can treat many kinds of car accident injuries, including:
- Foot fractures
- Foot pain
- Ankle ligament tears
- Ankle sprains
- Hip fractures
- Knee injuries
- Knee ligament injuries (ACL/MCL/LCL/PCL)
- Knee meniscus tear
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Shoulder fracture
- Shoulder impingement
- Shoulder (AC Joint) separation
- Cervical spine/neck conditions
- Chronic back pain
- Lumbar spine
- Low back pain
Physical therapists may also provide follow-up care after surgery for any kind of joint replacement (such as hip, knee, or shoulder).
The two main objectives of physical therapy are restoring the normal function in the affected area and reduction of pain. Physical therapy has other benefits as well, including avoiding disability and surgery.
A PT will begin by assessing your current mobility limitations and pain issues. If you have not already seen another medical provider, they will work on finding a diagnosis for your condition. This process might also include tests to check your ability to walk, your posture, or how well you can bend or grasp. The next step is a treatment plan. Actual treatment might include exercises, stretches, massages, manual, or hands-on therapy, use of ice packs and other cold therapy, exercise in water, and ultrasound therapy, which can be used to heal injured muscles.
Pain management clinics
A personal injury patient can be treated at a pain management clinic for injuries anywhere in the body that are causing pain – such as the lower back, knee, head, hip, and neck. Pain management clinics are also an option for people who are suffering from migraines or other types of severe headaches.
The kinds of medical staff at these clinics include: doctors who specialize in pain management, anesthesiologists, neurologists, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, and nutritionists and dieticians.
Some pain management clinics focus on the specific injury, while others may take a more holistic approach.
Medication is a common treatment and that does include opioids, but it is not limited to them. Given the risk of addiction, patients may want to explore other medications such as:
- Acetaminophen
- Topical analgesics, like lidocaine
- Antiseizure medications
- Antidepressants, like tricyclic antidepressants and SNRIs
- Muscle relaxers
- Corticosteroids
Some medications are delivered through injection:
- Botulinum toxin (Botox®) injections
- Steroid injections
- Establishing a nerve block by injecting an anesthetic
There are other medical procedures a pain management clinic may choose to utilize instead of or in addition to medication:
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
- Peripheral nerve stimulation
- Spinal cord stimulation
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Basivertebral nerve ablation (Intracept® procedure)
Neurologists
Neurologists treat injuries to the brain and spinal cord as well as any soft tissue damage in the neck or back that might affect the nervous system. Sometimes, the issues that bring you to a neurologist may seem far removed from the brain or spinal cord, such as numbness in an extremity. Migraines, headaches, dizziness, and other cognitive problems after an accident are all reasons to see a neurologist.
Symptoms to look out for
- Migraines and other types of headaches
- Confusion, dizziness, or a ‘spaced out’ feeling
- Tingling, numbness, stinging sensations or a loss of feeling in the arms, fingers, legs, or toes
- Slurred speech
- Forgetfulness or difficulty in comprehension
- Ringing or humming noises in the ear
- Extreme light sensitivity
- Extreme irritation or anxiety
- Nausea or vomiting
- Pain and soreness in an extremity or the back and neck
- Issues with balance
Conditions neurologists treat
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Cerebral contusions (bruises on the brain)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractures to the spine or skull
- Slipped, cracked, and herniated discs
- Acute pain the neck or back
- Compression of the nerves causing pain or numbness (neuropathy)
- Compression of the nerves from the spinal cord (radiculopathy)
- Lacerations on the neck
- Conditions associated with whiplash
- Soft tissue damage around the neck or back
A neurologist will evaluation your condition and may order a series of tests – such as X-rays, MRIs, or CT scans – to pinpoint the problem, depending on the type of suspected injury or damage. Other specialized tests may be necessary as well, such as electromyogram, or EMG, used to assess the connection between a nerve and its muscle. Then the neurologist will develop a treatment plan that include medication, injections, physical therapy, or treatment from another medical provider or specialist.
Neurosurgeons
The main difference between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon is that latter operates. Neurosurgeons treat injuries to both the brain and the spine. Types of surgeries for those injuries include:
- Removal of blood clots
- Repair of skull fractures
- Brain bleeds
- Temporary relief of pressure in the brain due to swelling (craniectomy)
- Spinal fusion
- Removal of a herniated disc (discectomy)
- Removal of a vertebral bone to relieve pressure (laminectomy)
- Surgery for compression fractures by injection of medical cement into broken vertebrae (vertebroplasty).
- A variation of the above procedure in which a balloon is inserted and then cement added (kyphoplasty).
- Anterior Cervical Discectomy & Fusion (ACDF), which involves an incision through the throat to remove a damaged disc in the neck.
A final option is alternative therapies:
- Acupuncture
- Biofeedback
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Water therapy
- Massage
- Meditation
- Reflexology
- Aromatherapy
- Dietary supplements and herbal remedies
Car accidents can lead to a wide range of injuries, requiring an equally varied spectrum of medical providers, depending on the specific injury. In some cases, a personal injury patient may need to see multiple providers, such as an orthopedic surgeon and then a physical therapist. Knowing what each specialist does and who may be the best fit for your particular condition or set of symptoms can shape your decision-making about what treatment is best for you. Hopefully, it will save you time in getting the care that you need.
Of course, finding the right doctor is just the first step. Ensuring that you can pay for the care that you need is the next major hurdle. For patients who are underinsured or lack on insurance, a letter of protection (LOP) can ensure they receive care while they wait for the outcome of their legal case against an at-fault driver. Another option is Gain’s pre-settlement cash advance, which can also be used to cover medical expenses while a case is pending.
