Chest Pain After a Car Accident

15 Dec Chest Pain After a Car Accident

Chest pain is not uncommon after a car accident and can lead to severe health problems if treatment is not prompt. The adrenaline rush and shock from a car accident can keep your body from feeling pain for hours and even days. This is why it is advised to have a medical examination following a car crash to ensure you are in the clear, health-wise.

Chest pain can range from minor to severe, depending on how fatal the accident was. Sometimes, the impact of a car crash may not be evident to the naked eye, making medical examinations very necessary. Chest pain might be attributed to bruises that can be seen, but an on-and-off recurrence should not be ignored. Such occurrences may indicate severe internal injuries, which would require immediate attention.

How Can a Car Accident Cause Chest Pain?

Chest pain following a car accident is the effect of a victim slamming into structures within the car on impact. This is also referred to as Blunt force trauma or non-penetrating trauma. This happens when a fast decelerating car throws its passengers around when it comes in halting contact with another object. This violent movement makes the passenger collide with structures within the vehicle.

Several objects within a car which a victim can be thrown against during a crash include the steering wheel, dashboard, airbags, doors, and even the seat belt holding them in place. When slamming occurs in an accident, it can lead to a victim having a fractured rib, punctured lungs due to a broken rib, sternum injuries, broken ribs, laceration, and the injury of internal organs like the kidneys, spleen, and heart. These complications are contributing factors to chest pain.

Reasons for Chest Pain After a Car Accident

As stated earlier, chest pain is not uncommon following a car accident due to the slamming and collision that happens in the process. There are several reasons for chest pain after a car accident, and they include the following;

Muscle Strain

In a car wreck, there is no telling how your body can be twisted or turned. An unnatural or extensive stretching of the muscles in the chest can result in muscle strain or even tears. Such tears can cause inflammation of the chest muscles, which can be painful at any slight movement.

Bruised Ribs

As the seat belt works to protect you, it tightens over your chest region on activation. This friction between the seat belt and your chest could cause bruises on your ribs and soreness whenever you move.

Heart attack

Heart attacks can manifest in the form of nausea, shortness of breath, discomfort in the chest, and chest pain. The stress of a traumatizing event, such as a car accident, can lead to a heart attack. This situation calls for immediate attention as a heart attack can be life-threatening.

Signs That Chest Pain Can Be Serious

The foremost thing to do if you have been involved in a car accident is to get examined. The shock and the adrenaline coursing through your body may mask any pain you feel, making you think you are healthy. This can be dangerous if a medical examination is not performed.  Several signs tell you that your chest pain might be severe.

• Pain in the chest at the slightest movement could be a result of a broken or fractured rib or sternum
• Discomfort or pain in the chest at taking deep breaths is a sign of lung damage
• Tenderness in the upper left abdomen, lightheadedness, confusion, pain in the left shoulder, and pain in the upper left abdomen are signs of spleen damage
• Abdominal swelling, blood in the urine, lower back pain, and upper right or left abdominal pain are symptoms of kidney damage

Can a Chiropractor Help You If You Have Chest Pain?

Chest pain is not always a result of cardiac-related issues. For someone involved in a car accident, there may have been a misalignment of their joints, causing chest pain. In this case, chiropractic treatment can help them correct such defects and relieve them of chest pain. This treatment can only be rendered when all life-threatening conditions have been ruled out.

Conclusion

Following a car wreck, you must visit a medical examiner no matter how good you feel. An ache in the chest could be a warning sign of a life-threatening condition you may have developed due to the violent impact. Visit the doctor as soon as possible because a stitch in time saves nine.