Sustaining an injury at work can create quite the hassle. From loss of productivity and missed days of work to reams of confusing paperwork to reporting injuries to insurance companies and state and federal agencies, it sometimes feels like there’s not enough time to focus on recovering from your injuries. Most people are not in a position to not work. Beyond the resources that work provides us to live our lives, the sense of purpose from having a job is critical to our emotional and mental health.
Workers comp injuries can occur even in the safest work environments. Obviously, some work locations are at higher risk, but just because you sit in an office all day and are not out on a construction site doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to injury. Just because you don’t require a trip to the ER doesn’t mean that you don’t have damage or injury from the accident that needs attention. We know that conditions like whiplash or concussion, very common in workers compensation cases, can have late onset of physical and cognitive symptoms.
Some injuries may be acute and emergent, like a broken bone or deep laceration, and getting care at a hospital or from a medical practitioner is the right first step. Medical doctors are primarily concerned with things that are broken. They’ll focus on broken bones or torn ligaments and work to repair them. And they’re good at that. In the absence of those things, they’ll probably send a patient home with an ice pack and a prescription for a muscle relaxer to help with pain management after a workplace injury.
As chiropractors that treat workers comp injuries, we work to provide natural pain relief, but we also want to move beyond treating the symptoms and rehabilitate the soft tissue to improve functionality of the spine and therefore the nervous system. A dysfunctional nervous system will slow down recovery and make it harder to succeed at work. Even after an injury at work, it is possible to return and reclaim the title of Employee of the Month.
Remember, insurance adjusters and your company’s legal counsel are skilled in workers comp cases, they do this every day. This may be your first accident and you’re unfamiliar with the process. It is critical to work with doctors and professionals, like the chiropractors at PA Pain & Rehab, that understand workers comp so that you aren’t at a disadvantage. Time is of the essence in cases like these, the sooner you seek care the better. For your health, but also your case. Failing to treat injuries is never a good idea as acute issues can quickly turn into chronic pain and dysfunction. The longer you go before receiving care the harder it is to treat your injuries. Your best health outcome is our #1 goal so that you can get back to work and the activities that make life worth living. In workers comp cases, your employer is fighting for their best interests, you must have someone on your side fighting for yours.
