There are over 6 million car crashes in the US per year. Out of that 3 million get injured, the statistics show it’s not a matter of if but when. Most Americans will experience at least one car crash in their lifetime. Minutes after he crashed most people don’t realize/feel their injuries. During stressful moments like this everybody has an autoimmune response to pump adrenaline into our system. That’s why you hear of people walking out of accidents, even with severe injuries. Because of our bodies self-defense mechanism, the stops you from feeling the agony you’ll most likely be in later. So how do you know if you’ll need medical assistance to recover? Thing is after an accident you will most likely be at home, and your adrenaline will die out, when that happens we’re here to help.
Here are some symptoms to look out for after an accident.
- Headaches usually develop several days after an accident. They can be a sign of a blood caught to the brain, serious concussion, injury to the head or neck
- Back pain can be a sign of injuries to the nerves, muscles, ligaments, or severe damage to the vertebrae
- Abdominal pain or swelling could be a cause of internal bleeding. Internal bleeding can be life-threatening and must be treated by emergency medical personnel.
- Numbness the loss or feeling can be due to damage to the neck or spinal column. Numbness can also be caused due to whiplash injury.
- Whiplash is the most common delayed symptom. Whiplash injuries require x-rays, CT scans or MRIs. These injuries are a common occurrence during rear end collisions even with speeds as little as 14 mph, and can be very serious.
- PTSD post Traumatic stress disorder is common, especially after severe accidents. Victims often have a hard time getting back on the road and the thought of driving can cause severe anxiety. Flashbacks, nightmares, and vivid memories, are likely to affect the victims everyday life.
- Changes in personality. Changes in personality or physical function can be a sign that there’s a severe concussion or brain injury. Signs to look out for can be found on our concussion discussion blog post.
