You’ve just been in a car crash and your adrenaline is pumping. You don’t feel any real pain at the moment, don’t think any bones are broken, and you feel lucky to have escaped any serious injuries, so you head home. In a few days though, you begin to notice pain and some strange stiffness in parts of your body.
Neck and Shoulder Pain
One of the more common injuries that occurs after an accident is whiplash. Rear end collisions are usually the culprit, and these injuries can become more painful with time. Be sure to seek medical care at the first sign of neck and shoulder pain. There are a number of tests available to provide you with a quick and accurate diagnosis.
Low Back Pain
Low back pain is another painful condition that can occur days after a car crash. It also commonly occurs as the result of a rear end collision. It’s possible a ligament, nerve, or muscle was injured during the crash, so seek timely medical care if the pain continues or worsens over the few days following your crash.
Headaches
Headaches after a car crash can be completely benign due to the stress of the accident, but should still warrant a fair amount of caution.
If you are injured in a crash and begin to experience regular headaches afterward, seek medical care. It could be something serious like a blood clot in the brain, an injury to the neck, or even a concussion.
In addition to a headache, other signs of a serious concussion include the following:
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Neck pain
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light
Abdominal Pain or Swelling
This could be a serious sign of internal bleeding and should not be ignored. If not treated promptly, it could be life threatening.
PTSD
Post traumatic stress disorder is quite common after a serious car crash. Victims can have vivid memories of the incident, which may cause nightmares, anxiety about anything that reminds them of the accident, and debilitating flashbacks. While there is no quick fix to PTSD, it is crucial that individuals seek proper counseling for the management of their symptoms.
Numbness and Tingling
Numbness and tingling in the hands and arms can be signs of damage to the spinal column or neck. It could be a herniated disc if you experience the numbing before you feel pain in your back.
You may walk away from a car accident thinking everything is fine, but days or even weeks later you begin to have pain or other abnormal symptoms. Don’t ignore them. Contact Madison Medical Associates right away to address your concerns and seek appropriate medical care in Madison, AL.
As always, if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call (256) 325-1160 today!