If you’ve been injured in a car accident it is possible that you only have a few scrapes and bruises afterward. But it is also possible that you might start to develop some uncomfortable symptoms in the hours and even days after the accident. That’s because there are some types of car accident injuries that can take a while for you to notice. These types of injuries are referred to as delayed injuries because of how their symptoms may not show up immediately after the accident. If you start to notice any pain or discomfort after you’ve been in an accident then talk to a car accident chiropractor about your experience and learn how they can help.
1. Headaches
In the stress of the moments after an accident, your body is pumping with adrenaline and you might even find yourself feeling overwhelmed or even in shock. All of these reactions can prevent you from fully noticing how your body is physically responding to the accident. One of the more common experiences after a car accident can be a headache, which could simply be from the stress, or could be a sign of something more serious. If you notice a headache that shows up in the hours after the car accident and gets gradually worse over time, you might have sustained a head or spinal injury. When your body is jolted around in a car accident, you can get injured no matter what speed you were traveling. You may start to get headaches if you have any swelling or inflammation that is putting pressure on your brain or nervous system and sends lots of pain signals.
2. Neck Pain
The force of the accident and whether or not your head and neck were jostled around can all end up causing you neck pain. You may have neck pain after the muscles in your neck were strained out of their normal range of motion when your head was flung forward and backward with the impact. Whiplash is the most common car accident injury, though it is not uncommon for its symptoms to show up in the hours and days afterward. Neck pain could include sore, stiff neck muscles, difficulty turning your head from side to side, and even numbness or tingling that may radiate into your shoulder and arm. When your neck muscles are strained they can swell, putting pressure on nearby nerves and soft tissues which causes more pain.
3. Back Pain
There are many reasons for back pain after a car accident and a lot of car accident injuries have back pain as a symptom. It is possible to strain your back muscles because of how the force of the accident caused your body to move around. You might even sustain a spinal injury or a herniated disc from a car accident. Back pain can happen in your back muscles as well as in the vertebrae of your spine, especially if they are forced out of proper alignment. It is possible to sustain a fracture as well, whether it is a small crack in your vertebrae or something more serious. Because your spine houses the nervous system and helps your brain send messages to the rest of your body, any damage to your back can cause pain in your back and also elsewhere in your body.
4. Abdominal Pain
Seat belts are there to keep your body from getting ejected from the vehicle in the event of a serious car accident. However, sometimes they can contribute to pain in the abdomen, especially when worn incorrectly or if they put too much pressure on a certain area. Abdominal pain and cramping should be taken very seriously because it can be a sign that you might have damage to your internal organs and may even have internal bleeding.
5. Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve is also called a compressed nerve because it happens when something puts too much pressure on a nerve, causing pain, numbness, tingling, and other uncomfortable sensations. A pinched nerve can happen anywhere in your body and may be the reason for your neck or back pain. When the muscles swell after they are strained or sprained in an accident, they can put pressure on nearby nerves, leading to a pinched nerve. A herniated disc can also cause a pinched nerve when the soft, spongy tissue that separates vertebrae slips out of place and compresses a nearby nerve.
If you start to feel worse after you’ve been in an accident, then schedule an appointment as soon as possible with a car accident chiropractor at AICA Orthopedic in Atlanta. Our team of multi-specialty doctors includes Atlanta chiropractors, orthopedic doctors, neurologists, and more who can help diagnose any delayed injuries and help you experience pain relief by treating the source of the issue so you can experience a full, healthy recovery.
