After a car accident, emotions are running high, and most likely, your body has produced a high amount of adrenaline to cope with the situation. Adrenaline masks immediate symptoms of injuries from a car accident, including those caused by penetrative trauma. As the adrenaline wears off, you might start to experience symptoms of injuries previously undiagnosed.
Delayed injuries can be minor or severe depending on the trauma from the accident. A Baton Rouge injury attorney confirms that the more serious an injury is, the higher the compensation you can claim. Here are some symptoms to look out for after a car crash.
What Are the Symptoms of Delayed Injury?
1. Back Pain
The back is very vulnerable in car accidents. Signs to look out for include tingling sensations, numbness, or pain in your back. These signs might be caused by whiplash, herniated discs, sprained back, broken back, spinal injury, or soft tissue injury.
Even though the conditions may vary in severity, back injuries affect your mobility. Seeing a doctor right away will help you understand your injury and the kind of treatment you will require to recover, e.g., surgery or physiotherapy.
2. Headaches
Headaches are prevalent in car accident victims, however, some pain persists, indicating more severe issues such as concussions, brain aneurysms, hemorrhaging, or head and neck damage.
Severe conditions such as bruising of the brain and blood clots can only be diagnosed by a doctor, hence seeing a doctor as soon as headaches start to manifest. Untreated head injuries can lead to brain damage and, in most cases, death.
3. Neck Pain
Neck pain can be indicative of a spinal cord injury, whiplash, or neck injury. It’s a common injury that occurs when an accident occurs, and you are wearing a seatbelt. The rest of the body will remain put, but the neck is usually exposed. The signs to look for include soreness, stiffness, swelling, limited range of motion, and chronic pain.
4. Abdominal Pain
The abdominal area houses a lot of vital organs that might be affected during a car crash. Abdominal pain is severe because it can be a sign of internal bleeding, which can be fatal. If you see purple bruising on the skin, experience dizziness or fainting spells or vomiting, you might want to see your doctor immediately for tests.
5. Behavioral or Mood Changes
It’s normal for people involved in car crashes to experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The changes in behavior can also indicate concussions whose symptoms include loss of memory, immobility, loss of vision and hearing, and in severe cases, depression. All these could be a sign of a severe brain injury that requires immediate treatment.
6. Numbness and Tingling Sensation of the Limbs
Numbness and tingling sensations show there’s nerve damage. These sensations have been described by patients as pricks from pins and needles and occur when there is bruising or spinal cord injury. You can even experience a partial or complete loss of feeling in the arms and legs if the damage is severe.
You can see a physical therapist or orthopedic specialist to diagnose and treat spinal injuries.
Why You Need to See a Doctor Immediately After a Car Crash
Not all injuries sustained from a car crash can be visible at the scene. Doctors and other related medical professionals are trained to look for these unseen injuries and can help prevent further injury down the road. If you experience new symptoms even after seeing a doctor, you must go back for further examination.
