If you or a loved one has been in a car accident, you may be wondering which doctor you should see depending on your injury and why. Depending on the severity of your injuries, you may end up in the emergency room or you might find yourself first noticing more pain symptoms a few days after the accident and wondering what you should do about it. Whether you see an emergency room doctor or your primary care physician, you should also consider asking yourself if there are “orthopedic surgeons near me” who have car accident experience.
Emergency Room Doctors
A trip to the emergency room after a car accident might mean you have a severe enough injury that is a cause for concern. While some injuries are obvious, such as broken bones, burns, or lacerations, others may be life-threatening and require immediate medical intervention. An emergency room doctor will likely treat your presenting injuries and recommend that you follow up with your primary care physician for continued care.
Urgent Care Doctors
Similarly to an emergency room visit, if you believe you have mild or moderate injuries, an urgent care doctor will treat your presenting, immediate injuries and recommend follow-up care when necessary.
Primary Care Doctors
In addition to insurance concerns with car accidents, your primary care doctor may not be the best choice for treating auto accident injuries because of the severity or extent of the injury. Often times, primary care doctors are a great resource for referrals and will want to refer patients out for specialized care such as car accident injuries.
Orthopedic Doctors
Orthopedic doctors are those who specialize in orthopedic care and have completed medical school and additional residency specifically in orthopedic medicine. Orthopedic specialists and orthopedic surgeons are generally well-versed in common car accident injuries because so often these injuries affect the spine, joints, muscles, and other soft tissues.
Common car accident injuries tend to affect the neck or spine, as well as damage to muscles and other tissues from the impact of the crash. Orthopedic surgeons and specialists are well versed in treating these injuries and identifying their pain points in order to provide thorough treatment and healing. Seeking treatment with an orthopedic doctor ensures you are receiving specialized treatment and help avoid chronic pain and discomfort.
Orthopedic specialists offer a holistic approach to treatment because their areas of expertise truly encompass the whole body. Sometimes injuries sustained in a car accident can lead to pain or discomfort that lasts much longer than might be expected. Orthopedic surgeons and doctors are able to diagnose and treat presenting injuries as well as any hidden injuries with potential delayed symptoms.
Immediate symptoms and treatment for orthopedic injuries may include more obvious examples such as broken bones and these can be treated immediately and in an emergency room setting, preferably by an orthopedic surgeon near me. However, there are also delayed symptoms of orthopedic injuries that might not be noticeable right after a car accident and subsequently go untreated. Delayed symptoms can signal more serious injuries that may lead to chronic pain and discomfort if not treated. Seeing an orthopedic surgeon, even as a follow-up to any emergency room or urgent care treatment, can help to positively affect recovery time for such hidden injuries.
In some instances, a doctor who treats car accident injuries might recommend medications or similar treatments to help with any immediate pain from the accident. While it is incredibly important to acknowledge and treat pain as it occurs, it is also equally important to see an orthopedic specialist if you experience significant pain after a car accident. Pain medications can dull symptoms of hidden injuries, but an orthopedic doctor can assess you for these common types of hidden injuries and run diagnostics to identify any additional sources of pain.
Orthopedic surgeons and specialists generally have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to help identify pain points and develop the best course of treatment specific to your body and your injuries. X-rays and MRIs are common diagnostic tools used to identify and review car accident injuries in greater detail so the orthopedic doctor can gain a greater understanding of the injury sustained.
AICA Auto Accident Doctors
If you are located near the greater Atlanta area and looking for orthopedic surgeons near you, visit one of multiple AICA locations to meet with an orthopedic surgeon and comprehensive treatment team today. AICA has multiple car accident clinics with multi-specialty medical staff who are highly skilled and qualified in diagnosing and treating a wide variety of car accident injuries. Access to these healthcare professionals has never been easier because AICA has orthopedic doctors, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, physical therapists, and chiropractors all in one convenient location. The orthopedic team will treat your obvious and hidden injuries and help you get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.