If you've been injured in a car accident, you’re probably experiencing a wide range of feelings.
All of these feelings are common after an accident.
Another thing common after car accidents is pain.
Pain is our body’s internal alarm system that tells us something’s wrong.
Pain alerts you to injuries that may not be visible, and it helps you determine if you need medical attention.
It’s normal to hurt and be sore after a car accident.
Here, you can learn more about our Atlanta car accident chiropractors' treatment methods for auto accident injuries.
But how do you know the difference between normal pain and when something’s wrong?
We'll examine that question in the article below.
Table of Contents
- Why Do We Experience Pain After an Accident?
- When Will The Pain Go Away
- My Pain Came Out of Nowhere
- Why Am I In Pain?
- Should I See A Chiropractor After A Car Accident?
- Visit The Arrowhead Clinic
Why Do We Experience Pain After an Accident?
This probably seems like an obvious question, but there are so many different answers.
However, pain is usually the result of trauma.
Pain occurs after all sorts of injuries, especially car accident injuries.
From stepping on something with your bare feet to a common car accident injury, pain lets us know that potential injuries have occurred. That's why we're usually sore after being involved in a car crash.
Humans experience various types of pain.
This includes:
- Sharp pain is the stabbing or shooting pain you've experienced and can be severe and spontaneous. However, it goes away relatively quickly.
- Aching pain is that pain that’s not very bothersome, but it hangs around for a long time.
- Radiating pain starts from one location and travels throughout the body. This is typical with back or neck pain, which may radiate down your arms or legs.
- Throbbing pain feels like your heartbeat at the point of injury and can cause extreme discomfort.
When Will the Pain Go Away?
A certain level of soreness is always normal after an accident injury because your body has just experienced significant trauma.
But how long you stay sore depends on several factors, including:
- Where you were in the vehicle
- Your seatbelt
- The speed of the crash
- The size of your vehicle
- The size of the other vehicle(s)
- Whether your airbags went off
- Preexisting injuries
Unfortunately, there's no way to determine the extent of your injuries based on the level of pain you are experiencing.
There's also no way to determine how long you will be sore based on your injuries.
Only a qualified medical professional like a chiropractor can tell you how long you should expect to be sore, and how long your recovery time will be.
My Pain Came out of Nowhere
Crash victims often experience delayed pain after an accident.
Many people walk away from an accident without feeling a thing, but days later, they finally feel like they’ve been involved in a car accident.
Everyone reacts to pain differently.
Some injuries, such as a whiplash injury, are notorious for presenting delayed symptoms.
A traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injuries often don’t present symptoms until days after an accident.
If you suddenly begin to feel sore, you should see a doctor right away.
Delayed pain does not make the injury any less severe. Here you can learn about delayed pain after auto accidents.
Sometimes, we write off significant symptoms as normal reactions to an accident.
Neck injuries on their own may be nothing, but when combined with a fever, it may indicate a severe problem, so it's essential to keep track of all of your symptoms.
If you experience any changes in your health, even seemingly normal or minor changes, write them down to tell your doctor.
Why Am I In Pain?
One of the best things you can do is be informed about possible injuries and causes of pain after an accident.
It is vital to recognize the differences between minor injuries and when something could be terribly wrong.
Common injuries after a car accident include:
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue damage is very common after a car accident.
Soft tissue injuries are sprains and strains that happen to the soft tissues.
They can also be disc injuries like herniated and bulging discs.
If you have a strain or sprain, your pain will typically go away within a couple of weeks.
If your pain lasts longer, it may be a sign of a disc issue.
If your doctor suspects a disc injury, he will likely suggest imaging tests to determine the source of your pain.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Auto accidents are the leading cause of spinal cord injuries.
Approximately 38 percent of all spinal cord injuries are the result of a motor vehicle accident.
Spinal cord injuries are severe injuries that often lead to permanent paralysis.
This is why it’s essential to understand the difference between backache and intense pain.
Common symptoms of a spinal cord injury include:
- Extreme back pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Loss of sensation
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of bowel or bladder control
Spinal cord damage is very serious, so it’s important to seek medical treatment right away if you experience any symptoms similar to those listed above.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury can be a headache or a severe and life-threatening head injury.
When you're dealing with a TBI, you should always take your symptoms seriously.
There's no way for you to tell the difference between a common headache or a headache that is a symptom of a more serious issue.
Always talk to a doctor if you experience sudden, severe headaches.
Other TBI symptoms include dizziness, confusion, loss of consciousness, mood changes, and trouble sleeping.
Accident victims may also experience any of the following types of injuries:
-Broken Bones
-Abdominal Pain
-Internal Injury
-Internal Organ Damage
-Blurred Vision
-Mental health Issues
-Muscle Tension
-Stiff Muscles
-Emotional Trauma
-Burn Injuries
-Cervical Spine Injuries
-Tissue Damage
-Disc Damage
-Cognitive Damage
-Loss of Mobility
-Permanent Disability
Should I See A Chiropractor After A Car Accident?
After a car accident, a visit to the chiropractor has many benefits.
After a car accident, the benefits of chiropractic care include faster healing, preventing injuries from worsening, and preventing chronic pain.
Your chiropractor will perform a thorough examination that will allow them to diagnose and document any issues.
After that, they will design a treatment plan that will likely include spinal manipulation to target and relieve pain.
Non-invasive chiropractic treatments may:
- Reduce pain chronic pain
- Promote healing
- Restore mobility by addressing stiffness and soreness
- -Restore range of motion
- Prevent chronic pain and long-term conditions from developing
Many people injured from a car accident will find chiropractic treatment to be an effective alternative to surgery.
Here you can learn more about our Arrowhead Clinic Atlanta car accident chiropractors.
Visit The Arrowhead Clinic
Knowing how long you'll be in pain after a car accident is just half the battle.
Never wait long to seek a chiropractor's help.
You should seek medical care at the first sign of pain after a car accident so you can be sure the pain doesn't last any longer than it should.
Chiropractic care is extremely useful in treating the spinal and soft tissue injuries commonly associated with a car accident.
Thousands of people visit chiropractors every day to relieve pain and many other ailments and injuries.
Arrowhead Clinic's chiropractors have been treating accident victims for over 40 years. In addition to providing excellent chiropractic care, they can also refer you to an experienced car accident lawyer to handle the insurance company and help with your personal injury claim.
If you live in Atlanta and would like a free consultation from an experienced chiropractor near you, click the button below to schedule your Free Initial Consultation with the Arrowhead Clinic today.
