Common Misconceptions About Pain Management Post-Accident

Check out this go-to guide that explains the pain management myths after a car accident.

Written by CrashMD staff

Unfortunately pain is a universal experience that doesn’t discriminate based on age, background or health. A person can feel pain in a variety of ways and from a variety of factors. But what is the best way to deal with pain? Sadly, there isn’t one easy answer. Pain management myths are everywhere.

In addition to the various ways pain can present itself that could lead to issues treating it, there are also times when a person’s misconceptions about pain management after an accident can lead to problematic outcomes. Some people might think that staying in bed is the best way to treat their symptoms, while others might believe that “working it out” will help the affected area to heal. Unless you’re a pain management specialist who has years of experience with treating pain, there’s a good chance you’re not giving yourself the best chance of a smooth and comfortable recovery. 

Pain management myths can cause an injured person to suffer from additional complications and risks, as well as possibly a prolonged period of recovery. Understanding the most common pain relief misconceptions and the “why” behind them will help you to make the best decision, based on facts, that will help with your post-accident recovery. Of course, the best way to ensure you’re making the optimal decision regarding your health and recovery is to partner with a trained pain management specialist who can accurately diagnose and recommend the finest treatment options for your particular injuries and pain symptoms. 

Common Pain Management Myths

When you think about it, you don’t know too much about pain, other than the fact that it’s uncomfortable and you’d rather not be feeling it. Not only are there a range of ways that a person could experience pain, including a car accident injury, exercising injury, underlying health condition, and more, there are a ton of ways that a person can physically feel and perceive pain. Maybe it’s a stabbing or shooting pain when you walk or lie down, or a dull and aching pain that is felt throughout the day. Some instances of acute pain can actually turn into chronic pain if they’re not treated properly or completely. 

This is what makes pain management misconceptions so dangerous. The goal of all pain management specialists is to help their family of patients find immediate pain relief, all by utilizing the most comprehensive and comfortable methods possible. But when a person has a misconception about pain and tries to manage their symptoms by themselves, they could be creating more harm than good. 

These are the Top 5 common pain relief misconceptions, as well as why they’re so dangerous to proper healing: 

1. Rest is Best: while some cases of acute injury can benefit from a RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation), there are other times when extended periods of rest can actually worsen symptoms and make the healing process longer or harder. Gentle movement, which is movement that lightly stretches and works out the muscles and soft tissues, is helpful for pain recovery because it increases blood flow, reduces stiffness and improves flexibility and mobility. Improved circulation to the body, and specifically the affected area, helps to improve healing, and keeping the body mobile helps the person to maintain their range of motion and stay limber, which helps to thwart stiffness and tightness. The goal is to both reduce pain and keep the pain from getting worse, and gentle, low-impact movements such as swimming, walking, yoga and stretching are all helpful in achieving that goal. If you’re not sure where to start, a pain management specialist can recommend certain key movements for you to practice, or can even partner you with a physical therapist who can help to create a tailored exercise approach to combat and treat your pain symptoms. 
2. Pain means there is a serious issue: of course, this is not always the case, which is why it’s a myth. It is easy to assume that, especially if you never experience pain symptoms, that the pain you’re feeling is due to a major injury or illness. While this could be true, especially in the case of a major injury from a car accident, more often than not, pain is simply the body’s way of alerting you that something is wrong and that the body’s recovery processes are beginning to work. In the case of acute pain, say a twisted ankle, the pain symptoms will subside as the affected area heals. In these cases, the injury is not severe and not due to a serious issue. On the other hand, a person can experience chronic pain, which is pain that lasts longer than the standard period of recovery, either due to a more serious injury or from a health condition that is difficult to treat. Chronic pain can, too, can be a result of changes to the nervous system, either from the injury or the nervous system not functioning properly after months and years of pain symptoms. The bottom line is that all pain is not serious pain, and the best way to keep acute pain from becoming chronic pain is to seek professional help from a pain management specialist who can create a tailored treatment plan for you. 
3. Pain is “all in your head:” this could not be farther from the truth. Pain is a very real condition that should be addressed, regardless of the severity or duration. In fact, believing – or telling someone – that pain is something you can overcome just by telling yourself that you’re not feeling symptoms is a wildly unhelpful method. The best way to address pain is to recognize it and pay attention to it. After all, it’s your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong and needs care. It’s important to note that the mind and the body work together in the pain recovery process. Stress and pain can make pain symptoms worse, which can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In turn, these could lead to more pain, and repeat. There are proven methods to help deal with pain, including biofeedback and breathing techniques, but this requires the person to first recognize the pain and then take steps to positively manage it. 
4. Opioid-based medications are the only or best treatment method: while opioids were used regularly in the past, improvements in treatment techniques and also understanding the side effects of opioids have made pain management specialists recommend other options. While highly effective at treating chronic pain, and especially pain from late-stage cancer, opioids are highly addictive and lead to a patient developing tolerance, which means that the patient will always need either more powerful opioids or a greater quantity. Now, there is a better way. Pain management specialists most often recommend a comprehensive approach to patient care, which can include non-opioid medications, physical therapy, alternative therapies (acupuncture, chiropractic care and massages), minimally-invasive options such as nerve blocks and stimulation therapy, and psychological treatments that work to combat depression and anxiety and subsequent worsened chronic pain. The great benefit of this approach is that it helps patients to achieve the same, if not better, pain relief while minimizing risks and side effects, which improves the patient’s overall and long-term quality of life. 
5. Intermittent pain isn’t a cause for concern: wrong! Any and all pain needs to be addressed, but of course not on the same level. Even if you experience a slight increase of minor headaches after your car accident, or your abdominal pain comes and goes, treatment is needed for both alleviating pain symptoms and ensuring that pain doesn’t continue or get worse. Prolonging treatment could lead to additional symptoms and health problems that last longer than they needed to had they been treated quickly and properly in the first place. Also, there is no reason to live with pain, even if it isn’t constant, in the first place! In our current environment where healthcare options are essentially at our fingertips, it’s the best option to seek care when needed, even if it’s just to make sure that your symptoms aren’t serious. Early intervention can lead to more effective conventional treatment options, better results, and an improved quality of life, and everyone who is experiencing pain on some level should seek professional help.
    

Pain treatment is often a multi-faceted approach, and one that should be custom tailored to each individual patient. There is no reason why a person should have to suffer with pain, even if it is “minor” or intermittent, and the best way to properly heal is to partner with a pain management specialist. The best pain management techniques involve treatment of the injuries themselves, but also the symptoms and their effect on the person as a whole. This includes psychological factors, lifestyle factors and overall health factors. No need to continue to listen to the pain management myths – Crash MD doctors and staff will debunk those.

If you have recently been in a car accident and are suffering from pain symptoms on some level, please don’t believe the pain management myths. Often, these pain management misconceptions can lead a person to feeling more pain, or even elevated pain symptoms, and there’s no reason to have to deal with that. If you are struggling to heal from a car accident or don’t know where to turn to for pain relief, please reach out to the CrashMD team today. We are confident we can help you find the relief you’re looking for via proven and effective treatment methods.

We look forward to hearing from you and debunking pain management myths!