3 Car Accident Injuries You May Not Immediately Notice
While car accidents could cause some of the most gruesome injuries, there are some cases where the injuries may not be immediately noticeable. Only after some time, usually hours or days after the accident, do victims begin to notice the symptoms of their injury. This happens due to the delayed reaction to a trauma.
The worst part is that if the latent injuries are left untreated, they could prove to be life-threatening or could become severe over time. This is why it's crucial to see a doctor if you've been in an accident, even if you think you are fine.
3 Car Accident Injuries You May Not Immediately Notice
Burns and cuts are visible injuries. But you should also be on the lookout for injuries that are not so apparent or whose symptoms take time to become visible. Here are 3 of the most common car accident injuries you may not notice immediately after your crash. If you've been in a car accident, visit an accident clinic in Florida, even if you think it's nothing serious.
Mild brain Injury
Car and auto accidents are one of the leading causes of brain injuries. A severe jolt to the head from an accident could cause damage to the brain, despite the skull and ambient fluid protecting it. The severity of brain injury could range from mild to extremely severe. If you've suffered a minor brain injury, you could experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Headache
Nausea
Dizziness
Fatigue
Vomiting
Blurry vision
Inability to remember new information or recall the accident
Concussions are quite common after a car accident, the symptoms of which could take some time to emerge. To avoid allowing your condition to get worse, you need to see a doctor as soon as you can after the crash.
Soft-tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries include injuries related to the soft tissue in your body, such as muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Hard tissue injuries (damage to hard tissues like bones) may be immediately noticeable, primarily because of the excruciating pain they cause. However, delayed pain is quite common in soft-tissue injuries. If not promptly addressed, they could lead to chronic pain. Some examples of soft-tissue injuries are:
Sprains
Contusions
Strains
Stress injuries
Tendonitis
Whiplash is also a severe soft-tissue car accident injury, the effects of which may not be immediately noticeable. It is a neck injury that happens due to a sudden back-and-forth motion of your neck and results in damage to neck tissues. Some clear signs of whiplash are stiffness or pain in the neck, dizziness, fatigue, issues with vision, trouble sleeping, and headaches.
To prevent your accident injuries from getting worse, it's best to consult a doctor immediately after your accident. Consult an accident clinic to get the treatment you need for your injuries, however minor you think they are.
Back injuries
Back injuries include damage to the human spine. It includes damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs, discs, and vertebrae. Any damage to the lower back (or lumbar) and upper back (or thoracic) would also lead to a back injury. The clearest sign of a back injury is back pain, but it could also include other symptoms like:
Reduced body mobility
Issues while standing, sitting, or walking
Headaches
Stiffness in the body
Muscle spasms
Numbness
Tingling
Numbness and tingling sensations are prevalent symptoms of late-appearing injuries. If you've been in a car accident recently, pay close attention to how you feel after the crash. It could be the first sign of a deep-rooted injury if you feel a tingling sensation in your arms, hands, feet, or legs. Don't wait for the symptoms to worsen for you to visit a doctor. Ideally, you should get yourself checked at an accident clinic immediately after the accident. This way, your injuries could be detected before it gets a chance to become worse.
You should also look out for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While this is not a physical injury and may show no physical symptoms, it can nevertheless be determinant to the victim. Some common signs of PTSD are nightmares, depression, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, changes in personality, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns. Mental disorders initiated from car accidents should not be taken lightly at all.
Ensure that you schedule a doctor’s appointment if you feel any discomfort or pain in your body after an accident. Your doctor could determine where and what injury you suffered from the accident. They would also give you tips on how you can monitor your symptoms and detect any red flags.