After a motor vehicle accident, you may have been diagnosed by a medical provider with a “soft tissue injury”.
What is a soft tissue injury?
A soft tissue injury is often a catch all diagnosis following a trauma to describe an injury to your muscles, ligaments or tendons. This can include contusions (the medical term for bruises), sprains, strains, or other types of stress injuries. A sprain is a stretch or tear of a ligament, which is a strong tissue that connects the bone to the other end of the bone. A strain is considered to be an injury to the actual muscle or tendon. This can actual mean a tearing or bleeding of your muscle.
Typically, the medical provider will instruct you to apply the “RICE” method to treat your soft tissue injury following an accident, which means Rest Ice Compression and Elevation.
How serious is a soft tissue injury caused by a car accident?
Most of our clients get better with conservative treatment or physical therapy and the passage of time with rest, which allows your body to heal. It is important to seek medical treatment so that a physician can guide your recovery as well as monitor your condition to ensure that there are not more serious injuries other than a soft tissue injury. If your soft tissue injury persists, it could be an indication that something more serious is going on.
What types of doctors treat soft tissue injuries?
All kinds! Our clients have been seen by orthopedists, general practitioners, physical therapists, or internal medicine doctors to monitor this progress. They may prescribe you medication to aid in the recovery process.