Anyone of any age can injure themselves in a fall – it’s not just the elderly. The shock of a fall makes your muscles tense up and you can be left with bruises, strains and spasms. You might throw your arm out to save yourself and jolt your shoulder, or you might land awkwardly on your tailbone. However you land, it hurts!
There’s a greater risk of serious injury if you land at velocity after falling from a height, off a bicycle or motorbike, or crash into another person in a sporting accident. So first of all, let’s look at the red flags indicating you need a trip to a doctor.
When should you go to A&E after a fall?
- If you hit your head and especially if you lost consciousness when you fell, you need to get checked for concussion. Don’t leave it – go to A&E.
- If you’ve been in a collision, always get checked out for whiplash. The neck is vulnerable to injury because the weight of the head moving back and forth at speed tears or strains muscles and tendons. We can assess you here at Sundial. Read our blog about whiplash here
- Red flags after a fall which show you need to be medically assessed are loss of feeling, significant weakness, bladder or bowel incontinence, excruciating pain that doesn’t respond to over-the-counter painkillers, mental and visual changes, and instability.
Back pain after a fall
The first thing to do after a big fall is to stay still and breathe calmly, giving yourself time to get over the shock and to assess how your body feels. When able to do so, roll over and transition to hands and knees. Take your time and get yourself to a chair or other sitting surface if possible. From here, if appropriate, call for help. To find out what to do when back pain hits suddenly, read our blog on what to do in an emergency. If you’ve fallen straight onto your coccyx (tailbone), read our blog on coccyx pain here.
Here’s our advice on how to manage pain after a fall:
- Apply a cold pack wrapped in a towel to the injured area (a packet of frozen peas will do);
- move about gently as often as you can, rather than immobilising yourself (which will make you feel a lot worse in the long run);
- take an over-the-counter painkiller such as paracetamol.
- And give us a ring!
It’s important to get specialist advice about your back pain as soon as possible. You may be advised to wait until swelling and bruising have subsided before chiropractic treatment. Not all home remedies are appropriate, so your first step should be to contact us here at Sundial. Our chiropractors and physios are always happy to discuss your symptoms, give advice for pain management and, when appropriate, make an appointment for you to come and get physically checked out.
So make an appointment for a check up. We’re always delighted to help you.