It's easy not to notice any injury symptoms in the immediate aftermath of a car accident.
Due to a rush of adrenaline, it can take hours, days, or even weeks for some accident injury symptoms to appear.
Common car accident injury symptoms range from mild to severe and can impact you from head to toe.
Even if you feel uninjured, and no matter how minor you think your injuries are, you should always visit a car accident chiropractor after being involved in a motor vehicle collision.
In the article below, we will discuss auto accident symptoms you should look out for.
Table Of Contents
- How Long Does It Take For Accident Injuries To Show Up?
- Headaches
- Whiplash
- Back Pain
- Internal Organ Damage
- Post-Traumatic Stress
- Visit Arrowhead Clinic
How Long Does It Take For Accident Injuries To Show Up?
A wide range of car accident injuries will show symptoms immediately after the wreck.
However, some accident injury symptoms may take several days or even weeks before they present symptoms.
These injuries are referred to as delayed-onset injuries.
To protect you from pain or trauma, your body undergoes a rush of adrenaline that can mask sign of injuries.
Shock may also keep you from feeling or focusing on your physical symptoms.
This can all delay your body’s reaction to your physical injuries and the trauma that comes with them.
Delayed injuries can be serious and life-threatening, especially when left undiagnosed and unaddressed, so it's essential to seek medical treatment right away.
Unfortunately for some, when a common car accident injury does present symptoms, the victim may not link their new symptom with the motor vehicle collision that happened weeks ago.
This keeps them from seeking appropriate medical care.
Here are a few types of injury symptoms to watch out for after being involved in a motor vehicle crash.
Headaches
Headaches are a prevalent pain symptom of accident-related injuries.
Tension headaches can be brought on by stress, which is typical after a traumatic auto collision.
Headaches can also be caused by a head injury like a concussion or a traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Other concussion symptoms include loss of consciousness, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, nausea, and sensitivity to light and sound.
You may also suffer from migraines that result in severe pain and make it difficult to tolerate bright lights or loud noises.
It is crucial to get medical care immediately to ensure your brain has not sustained severe damage and you don't end up with chronic pain.
If you have headaches but did not hit your head during a collision, recurring headaches may also be a sign of whiplash.
Whiplash
Whiplash, also called neck strain or neck sprain, usually occurs after a rear-end collision due to the sharp back-and-forth motion that the neck experiences.
A whiplash injury is soft tissue damage to the neck.
The overextension of nerves, muscles, and spinal joints causes neck pain.
Common symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Muscle spasms
- Sleep pattern changes
- Reduced range of motion in the neck
- Fatigue
- Muscle strain
- Difficulty concentrating
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Muscle tightness
- Numbness in the arms or hands
- Loss of feeling in your extremities
Recovery time for this neck injury varies and can last between a few days to several months.
Back Pain
Several common auto injuries can lead to back pain.
Back pain a few hours or even several days after a car wreck may be a symptom of a herniated disc, soft tissue injury, spinal cord injury, sprain, or whiplash.
If you notice tingling or numbness along with back pain, you may be suffering from nerve damage.
All of these conditions, especially a spinal injury, can cause debilitating pain and mobility challenges, limited range of motion, and affect how you perform your daily activities.
To avoid long-term damage, it's crucial to get a medical evaluation as soon as back symptoms appear.
Internal Organ Damage
A severe injury that can occur during a car crash is delayed abdominal pain.
Abdominal pain could potentially be a sign of internal injury or vital organ damage.
Left untreated, internal injuries can be life-threatening.
Signs of internal organ damage after a car accident include:
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Deep purple bruising
- Stomach pain
- Lower abdominal pain
- Constipation
Abdominal pain may also be a sign of internal bleeding.
Symptoms of internal bleeding or blood clots may present hours or days after a crash.
You need to get a medical evaluation immediately if you're afraid you've suffered internal damage to your kidneys, liver, lungs, or other organs.
Post-Traumatic Stress
Any traumatic event can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.
You don't even have to be physically injured to experience psychological damage due to your car accident.
Signs of post-traumatic stress disorder are:
- Flashbacks, nightmares, or distressing memories of the event
- Anxiety surrounding anything that reminds you of the accident.
- The inability to get back behind the wheel due to stress and anxiety
- Mood changes, appetite, and sleep changes
- The inability to concentrate, general anxiety, and depression
Mental health disorders should be taken just as seriously as any physical injury.
Getting the help and the medical intervention that you need after a car crash is crucial to your overall health and wellness.
Visit Arrowhead Clinic
If you were involved in an auto accident that caused an injury, you should contact an experienced Chiropractor for a special treatment plan and pain relief.
Even if you don't feel immediate pain after the crash, it's important to see a chiropractor as soon as possible for a hidden injury evaluation.
Arrowhead Clinic has a team of chiropractors who specialize in helping accident victims return to normal activities and function. They can also help you recover from the injuries listed above.
Each patient receives a free consultation, during which we can determine the source of their pain and provide them with various treatment options that are designed to help treat underlying injuries.
When you come to our clinic for your free consultation, we can also refer you to an experienced accident lawyer who can help with your personal injury claim.
Your accident attorney will handle the insurance claim process and ensure you receive full compensation for all of your medical bills.
If you are ready to be pain-free after your motor vehicle accident, click below to schedule your initial free consultation and begin chiropractic care today!
References:
https://davidbryantlaw.com/blog/common-car-accident-injury-symptoms/
https://www.laybournelawfirm.com/blog/personal-injury/delayed-accident-symptoms/
https://www.garymartinhays.com/car-accident-posts/car-accident-injury-symptoms/
https://desalvolaw.com/car-crash-auto-accident/car-accident-symptoms/
https://ritecaremc.com/5-delayed-auto-accident-symptoms-you-shouldnt-ignore/
