Should I take painkillers?
You may be prescribed with more than 1 type of painkillers. Take your medication as prescribed by your doctor as these painkillers will be helpful to facilitate your rehabilitation and recovery. With better pain management, most people report sleeping better and they can manage around their usual activities at home and/or at work.
What can I do to help in my recovery?
1. Keeping active and positive
After discharge from the hospital, try to keep up with your usual activity, stay at work or return to work as soon as possible even if you have not achieved 100% recovery. Keep a positive attitude and listen to your doctor and physiotherapist as they guide you through your rehabilitation.
It is important to understand that coping with some pain is not harmful for you. Pace your activities as you gradually return to your normal daily activities and work. For example, instead of vacuuming the whole house, try to complete one room at a time.
The pain you are feeling is real and it is normal to have some form of apprehension or anxiety initially after an accident. However, if you do find yourself constantly thinking about the suffering or the accident, discuss this with your doctor or physiotherapist.
2. Exercise and moving your neck
A physiotherapist will perform an assessment before prescribing an individualised treatment programme to help maximize your recovery.
In general, it is important to start regularly moving your neck and performing some targeted strengthening and endurance exercises. If needed, space out these exercise with rests if the pain is too unbearable.
Let your pain be a guide to how much you can participate in your daily activities:
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Pain Score 1 - 3: (mild pain)
You may carry on with your usual activities like walking, light housework, deskbound work. Take breaks often.
You may not require painkillers; if required, use the minimal effective dose.
If you are pain-free, you should start with low intensity activity/exercise and progressively do more before you perform more intensive physical activity.
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Pain Score 4 - 6: (moderate pain)
- You may consider carrying on with your usual activities but do less that before and always take regular breaks before your pain gets worse.
- You should consider painkillers so that you can sleep and cope better in your usual activities, unless the risks outweigh the benefits.
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Pain Score 7 - 10 (severe pain)
You should be using painkillers.
Avoid intensive physical activities.
You may find that pain affects your sleep almost every night and you cannot perform your usual activities. You have difficulty turning in bed, getting up from the toilet seat, chair. You are unable to stand up straight or have to keep your back very straight and you cannot tie your shoelaces.
You need to use painkillers unless the risks outweigh the benefits.
Seek advice with your physiotherapist if you’re unsure of safe activity levels.
