Don’t Underestimate Minor Soreness and Bruising from a Car Accident

The day after a car accident is often more painful than the moments directly following the crash. While the endorphins that are released when the accident first occurs help your body overcome shock, they can also make pain and other injury symptoms unnoticeable. Be aware that symptoms are often delayed. Let’s look at the three most common delayed injuries of car accidents.

Soft tissue & whiplash

Most cases of car accident injury that aren’t initially evident involve damage to soft tissue. Whiplash is a soft tissue condition that can occur during a crash, when the head is propelled forward and then snaps back into position, straining the neck and other body regions.

Since whiplash is so common and typically appears after a delay, it’s wise to know its symptoms:

• headache
• vertigo
• decreased range of motion and mobility
• rigidity in the extremities
• muscular spasms
• desensitized reflexes
• sensations of numbness or reduced strength.
• As you can see, whiplash can make it difficult to carry out day-to-day activities. Therapies often used in car accident treatment when the patient has experienced whiplash include chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy programs.
• Brain injury

A concussion – an instance in which your brain slams into your skull’s interior – is also often not noticed until the day after a car accident. That’s especially the case when your fellow passengers don’t know you well and won’t be as quick to recognize uncharacteristic behavior. You may think the only way to get a concussion is by hitting your head on the dashboard, but you can also experience one if the car comes to an immediate stop.

Typical symptoms of concussion include the following:

• blurred vision
• disorientation
• depression
• irritability
• dizziness
• inability to focus
• sleep disturbances
• nausea.

Psychological damage

The third type of delayed car accident injury also involves the head, but in a different way. Crashes, especially major ones, often lead to mental or emotional distress. If that distress is extensive and involves continuing anxiety related to the event, the afflicted party is typically diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD sometimes doesn’t surface until weeks or months following the crash.

Your car accident treatment partner

Part of the reason that an auto crash can be so stressful is that it’s often an unfamiliar experience. We may not know what actions are appropriate, or who to trust with legal or medical advice. At First Choice Medical and Injury Clinic, we are a team of healthcare specialists and practitioners squarely focused on one goal: your fast and complete recovery.  Contact us now.