Suffering paralysis in a car accident can drastically alter your lifestyle and disrupt your plans for the future. Due to the severity of a paralyzing injury, you may face significant health risks especially if you do not take care of yourself.
Even though your mobility is not the same as it once was, you can take control of your health. Taking a proactive approach to caring for your body may minimize some of the chronic symptoms that often accompany paralysis.
Boost your nutrition
Regardless of your body’s condition, you need adequate nutrition for every component to function optimally. Paralysis will require your body to work harder, especially as you recover and adapt. Additionally, getting complacent or sedentary can increase your risks of developing bedsores, blood clots and even sepsis. Other conditions that could develop as a result of paralysis include the following:
- Dysphagia
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Loss of bowel control
- Difficulty breathing
- Heart problems
Each of these conditions can have life-threatening consequences. As you come to terms with your diagnosis, remember that your loss of mobility does not need to dictate your life. Boost your nutrition and eat foods that provide sustenance, vitamins and minerals. Get enough rest. Focus on developing meaningful relationships. Drink plenty of water. And as facingdisability.com recommends, stay as active as you can.
Embrace your independence
How much you can reasonably move depends on the type of paralysis you have. However, even in the most serious cases, there are probably still some things you can do independently. Even though your situation looks nothing like it did before, embrace the things you can still do. Build a support system of friends and family who encourage you to do your best and reach new goals.
Seeing your disability as a challenge to become better and stronger may incentivize you to adapt and keep control of your life and your future.