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Ringing headaches, burning back pain, throbbing muscles. Sounds familiar? If you have been involved in a car accident, you could be. Car accidents can leave you in a painful and stressful state. Where are you going? What is your job? Well, if you are concerned about your claim for auto insurance benefits, specifically your personal injury protection benefits, which are required in the State of Florida as outlined in Fla. Stat. ยง 627.736, you need to document your health status well.
Do you need to go to the emergency room? Maybe. You are the one who understands your injury the most. Emergency treatment may be necessary, of course, if you are in severe pain after the accident. The hospital can provide you with the immediate care you need, and will also provide you with documentation showing that you took the initiative to go to the hospital right away. This is very useful, for example, if an insurance adjuster is evaluating your benefits. Documentation and proof that you went to the hospital immediately after the car accident could prove that you really are in pain and need treatment. “Your word” that you are in pain is not necessarily good enough for an insurance adjuster.
Making an appointment at an urgent care center may be another good option. Your personal injury may not warrant an immediate need to visit the emergency room, but urgent care centers are also designed to treat injuries and illnesses that require immediate attention. Centers can often accommodate walk-ins or, in some cases, allow online scheduling from the comfort of your home. This may be a good way to go if you lack adequate health care and your PIP benefits are your only option. Urgent care centers can cost less than emergency room visits.
In any case, they will most likely advise you to see a doctor or specialist at some point if the pain persists. Going to a general practitioner or family doctor may also be a good idea at first. Your GP can help give you an overview of your symptoms, giving you the big picture of what to do. However, staying with your family doctor for an extended period of time probably won’t help. In the long run, the GP will really only give you medication to relieve symptoms rather than fix the long-term health problem.
What about chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, neurosurgeons, physical therapists, and neurologists? There are so many different types of specialists, so who do you go with? After getting a recommendation from a general practitioner or someone at your hospital, you may have a better understanding of the cause of your symptoms. I could give you a little more information on whether or not you need treatment for your neck, shoulder, back, upper back, lower back, etc.
Chiropractors treat injuries based on the fit of the spine. Orthopedic physicians provide more specialized diagnosis and treatment of the back, neck, and ligaments and connective tissues in general. Neurologists work closely with the nervous system and can treat you if you suffer from chronic headaches or neck pain. Neurosurgeons also deal with the nervous system and have the ability to perform surgery if your medical problem is serious enough. There are many specialists to choose from, and the important thing is to fully understand your circumstances, so you receive the right treatment and don’t waste your benefits.