Common Delayed Symptoms

Common Delayed Symptoms

Car accidents can result in immediate trauma due to the impact of the collision and the many injuries that can occur. The list of injuries that require immediate medical attention is extensive, ranging from severe lacerations to internal bleeding to head trauma and many other possibilities.

 

However, many people walk away from car accidents believing they have escaped without injury only to have injury symptoms start showing up days or weeks later. Your body has put off registering the injuries.

 

A state of shock is a difficult idea to comprehend. If your injuries are bad enough, the shock prevents you from feeling some or any of the pain and can slow down critical events, such as bleeding. This is because your body recognizes the severity of an injury and tries to shut down to protect the core functions, which include your internal organs and your brain.

Similarly, it is hard to explain why you might not feel hurt after a car accident, only to find some hours later that you have been badly hurt. You just were unaware of it.

Some of the delayed symptoms after a car accident can be very serious, which is why doctors always recommend seeking medical attention after an accident even if you are not sure you have been hurt. However, delayed symptoms include the following:

 

  • Back and neck pain

 

It is widely acknowledged that the injury known as whiplash can include a delayed reaction that includes back and neck pain. It can also include muscular pain in your legs, neck, back, and shoulders.

 

  • Headaches

 

Very often, headaches are a delayed reaction from stress, which makes it no surprise that headaches can occur a few hours or even days after you have been in a car accident. Stress headaches often work this way, too. Usually, it is after exam week at school that you find yourself with a splitting headache. The same can occur with post-accident headaches.

 

In the case of a post-accident headache, however, seek medical attention right away. The cause of the headache could be a blood clot, a concussion, or a neck injury.

 

  • Numbness

 

A car accident can jolt or push your spinal column out of alignment and cause damage to your nervous system without your being aware of it. A pinched nerve could be the culprit creating numbness, although the nerve is only affected if you move to a certain position or make a specific motion. As such, the damage may not be obvious right away.

 

  • Back Pain

 

A back injury does not always show up right away following a car accident. However, a jolt that puts you out of alignment puts extra stress on your back muscles and could directly affect the nervous system locally or systemically.

 

As with any injury, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This means, if the symptoms are delayed, it may be that much more critical to seek help right away, as your body has already postponed its reaction for a few hours or a few days.

 

  • Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

A car accident can be extremely traumatic from a psychological perspective. You could be thrust into a frightening position or be shocked by the financial damage to your car or the physical injury to yourself or someone else.

 

Post-traumatic stress can be mild or devastating, but it can also linger for years or grow worse as subsequent trauma adds to the list of unresolved traumas you have endured. Seek help for PTSD from a medical professional or a trained social worker or psychologist.

 

For Help In Colorado Springs

 

Medical pain management clinic specializing in care for auto accident patients. Call 719-917-1000.

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