When you get into a car accident but are not seriously injured, you're still likely to be sore for a few days afterwards. The jarring experience of being in a car when it's struck by another vehicle can stretch your muscles, ligaments, and tendons in ways they're really not supposed to stretch. But you don't have to just sit back and wait for the soreness to subside. The day after a minor car accident, you can do these three things to minimize your soreness and encourage it to go away sooner.

See your chiropractor.

Call a chiropractor like Anthony Iuzzolino DC and see if you can get in at the last minute for an adjustment the day after your collision. Minor whiplash is so common after car accidents. Your neck snaps forward and back or to the side, and the muscles end up feeling sore and strained. The muscle tension in your neck afterwards can actually pull your vertebrae out of alignment, which can cause the soreness to linger for weeks. Luckily, your chiropractor can nip this issue in the bud by adjusting your spine the day after your accident. Back pain is also common -- especially if you were hit from behind or to the side – and an adjustment will help with this, too.

Soak in an Epsom salts bath.

Epsom salts contain magnesium ions. These ions are able to penetrate the skin and go to work in the muscles, where they help to encourage proper contractors and alleviate any soreness and stiffness you're experiencing. To make an Epsom salts bath, just fill your bathtub with warm water, and then stir in a few handfuls of the salts until they dissolve. Lower yourself in, and relax for 20 to 30 minutes. You'll feel a lot less sore after your bath, and this should hopefully stop any minor soreness from getting worse, too.

Take an NSAID.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, or NSAIDS, alleviate pain, but they also help reduce inflammation. This is useful the day after your accident because if you have minor inflammation, alleviating it will allow you to be more active and stay loose, which should help keep you from getting even more sore and stiff in the days that follow. So, take a dose of an over-the-counter NSAID like ibuprofen or naproxen the day after your accident.

An accident can cause soreness and stiffness, but don't just sit around suspecting you'll be laid up for a week or more. Visiting the chiropractor, taking an Epsom salts bath, and taking a dose of an NSAID will have you back up and moving in no time.