In almost any case of an auto accident, being referred for massage therapy by your doctor will be beneficial. Seeing a massage therapist in the weeks or months after an auto accident will help calm your nervous system back to normal and then help your body process and work through the pain caused by the impacts.

In the case of an auto accident, your massage therapist will recommend starting with more gentle work first. This would include relaxation techniques and possibly lymphatic drainage and craniosacral therapy as well. As your body heals, that will be when your massage therapist recommends starting to work into deeper tissue techniques, working through trigger points and adhesions that could have been caused by the accident.

By far, the most common injury in auto accidents is whiplash. This affects nearly all of the muscles of the neck but also includes muscles of the chest/pectoral area, and shoulder and back muscle groups as well. Unfortunately, with whiplash being the most common injury, the most common post-auto accident symptom is headaches and migraines. The sooner that you start working with a massage therapist to manage these symptoms, the more effective their work will be in recovering from whiplash long-term and preventing headaches and migraines from becoming long-lasting symptoms.

To get the best possible outcome in recovery, work with a physical therapist to ensure that your muscles are being strengthened to their optimum potential.

If you or someone you know was recently in an auto accident and hasn’t sought treatment yet, contact the experts at Apex Physical Therapy & Wellness Center in your area. I work in the West Fargo office and am looking for new patients.