Car accidents are shocking events that can be hard to process. Everything can seem to be happening at once: hospital visits, medical treatments, insurance claims, legal considerations, car repairs and many other important tasks. In this whirlwind of activity, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. You need to prioritize your health and your family members. How can you tell if you’ve been injured in a car accident?
Why Are Car Accidents So Hard on Your Body?
Going through a car accident is a nightmare for your body. Even if you’re normally an active individual with strong muscles, the fact of the matter is that your body isn’t ready for the stresses and strains of a crash. Your muscles don’t have time to adequately prepare for the impact when accidents happen out of nowhere.
Plus, even strong muscles are no match for the incredible forces usually involved in a crash. Tendons, joints, and bones are amazing, but during a car crash they can move in ways they’re not designed to. This can cause damage.
There are also dangers related to physical impacts on your vehicle. Depending on the crash, it’s possible to suffer cuts or worse. Accidents are bad for you and your passengers all around.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
There is a wide range of minor and serious injuries related to car accidents. The specific injuries you sustain can vary depending on the speed of the crash, the angle of impact and whether you were wearing your seatbelt at the time.
Here are some examples of car accident injuries:
- Whiplash/neck pain
- Back pain
- Herniated disks and other spinal problems
- Concussions and other head injuries
- Broken bones
A herniated disc is a type of spinal cord injury. It involves one of the discs of your spinal cord slipping out of place. Sometimes, this disc pinches a nerve. This condition can cause significant pain, numbness and trouble moving comfortably.
How Can You Tell If You Have a Car Accident Injury?
Some injuries after a car accident are obvious. You can see cuts right away. You feel broken bones or dislocated joints quickly. Generally speaking, pain is a strong indicator that you’ve been injured in an accident.
Not all injuries are visible, though. Concussions, whiplash, internal bleeding and other conditions can be hard to see on the outside, but they hurt your body considerably. Keep an eye out for warning signs of serious injuries, including:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Bleeding from the nose or ears
- Disorientation or confusion
It’s a good idea to visit a doctor after a car crash. Be honest about your symptoms. That way, you can protect your health.
How Long Does Pain Take To Appear?
Many people are surprised to find out that pain doesn’t always appear right away after a crash. In fact, some people have broken bones and don’t realize it for 15-20 minutes. This can happen because of the rush of adrenaline, which distracts you from pain.
Some of the body’s pain hormones can also disguise injuries. You may have significant injuries but only feel minor soreness or tiredness — at first. After several hours, the bruising and pain can start to appear.
When it comes to head, neck and back injuries, it can take even longer for pain to appear. Sometimes, you don’t feel the full impact of the pain until two or three days afterward.
In other cases, injuries can show up weeks or months later. You may not realize what happened until you get an X-ray or MRI. Suddenly, the puzzle pieces click into place and you realize why you’ve felt so terrible lately.
What Should You Do?
When paramedics ask if you’re OK, you may respond, “Yes,” but that doesn’t mean you’re really OK. You need to keep an eye on your symptoms. Don’t be afraid to seek medical treatment if you need it, even if days or weeks have passed since the crash.
