If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident, you should seek medical treatment from your family physician as soon as possible. If you sustained soft tissue injuries, your family physician may refer you for massage therapy treatment as part of your treatment plan. In addition to reducing stress and promoting relaxation, therapeutic massage therapy can help with improving range of motion and circulation, as well as reducing muscle pain and swelling. Under the current ‘minor injury’ insurance ‘regime’ you can obtain 21 treatments of any sort (including massage) and have your own insurance company pay the treatment provider directly for that treatment. After those 21 treatments, Section B of your auto insurance policy will cover up to a maximum of $250.00 in massage therapy treatments (the policy provides that they have to reimburse you the $250.00 and not pay the treatment provider directly). Before you can receive these benefits, you need to have either your family physician, chiropractor, or physiotherapist complete an AB-2 Treatment Plan form for you to submit to your insurance company. You must also complete an AB-1 Notice of Loss and Proof of Claim form before you are eligible to start your treatments. Be sure that your doctor has prescribed the massage therapy treatments so that you will be able to access this coverage.
Being involved in a motor vehicle accident is often a traumatic experience, and massage therapy may help to alleviate symptoms of stress, anxiety, and tension. Massage techniques have been practiced for thousands of years and there are many different variations that can be used to promote healing and pain reduction. Massage therapy encourages circulation of both blood and lymphatic fluid, which is the clear fluid primarily responsible for swelling and inflammation. With manual lymphatic drainage, it is possible to use pressure and rhythmic strokes to promote the flow of lymph, which may help relieve painful swelling at a particular location of the body. Deep tissue massage uses more friction and direct pressure and may promote the release of chronic muscle tension. TMJ massage is used to treat temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and focuses primarily on the shoulders, neck, upper back, and sometimes the jaw muscles themselves. This may also help ease the occurrence of chronic headaches, which is a common symptom suffered by clients who have been involved in a motor vehicle accident. You should consult with your doctor if you believe that you might benefit from massage therapy treatment.