Car accidents can often cause serious injuries, trauma as well as mental and emotional stress even when there is little to no damage to the vehicle. Injuries, pain, physical discomfort, and other symptoms from a car accident can manifest either immediately or may take several days or even weeks to appear.

Some common symptoms of pain and discomfort after a car accident are:

Headache or dizziness

Concussions, blood clots, and whiplash may lead to headaches or dizziness experienced after several days or weeks after the car accident. If you experienced a sudden impact on your head during the collision, it may cause traumatic injury to the soft tissues of the brain. This traumatic injury to the brain can cause swelling, bruising, or bleeding internally that may cause headaches or dizziness.

It is always advisable to seek professional medical consultation if you experience headaches or dizziness after a car accident to properly evaluate your symptoms and seek medical care and treatment.

Neck or shoulder pain

Sudden impact during a car accident, particularly after a rear-end car accident can often cause whiplash. Whiplash is the sprain or strain on the neck when a sudden sharp back and forth motion of the neck happens.  Whiplash can injure the soft tissues, nerves, or muscles of the neck and the spinal joints resulting in neck or shoulder pain. The symptom of pain resulting from whiplash can be delayed. However, it is advisable to seek professional care to correctly diagnose and treat your condition.

Stomach pain

Stomach pain or swelling after a car accident can be an indication of internal injury or bleeding. It may or may not be accompanied by deep bruising, dizziness, or fainting. Additionally, there may be internal organ damage to kidneys, liver, or other organs. It is highly recommended to seek professional medical care and treatment to correctly diagnose and seek treatment. 

Back pain

Back pain from a collision can occur due to injury to soft tissues, joints of the spine. Sudden traumatic stress on the spine can cause a herniated spinal disc or a spinal cord injury and may result in back pain. If your accident results in a compressed, irritated, or pinched nerve, you may also experience numbness or tingling sensation in addition to back pain.

Numbness or tingling

When a traumatic accident causes stress to the spine, it may result in a herniated disc or a pinched, irritated, or inflamed nerve that causes the sensation of tingling or numbness. Depending on the location of the nerve, you may experience this sensation in the arms or legs.

In addition to the topics covered in this article, there are several symptoms of pain and discomfort that may manifest post-collision. Emotional distress, mood and personality changes, lack of concentration, sleep disturbances, fatigue, or excessive sleeping may be experienced by those involved in a car accident. Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may also be experienced by those involved in a car accident.

Some injuries and symptoms manifest immediately after a car accident, whereas others may delay by several days or even weeks post-collision. Irrespective of when your symptoms manifest after a car accident, it is advisable to seek medical care and treatment to rule out any serious injury.

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All of the doctors at Cianci Chiropractic are dedicated to helping you get back on your feet in the best way possible. We work with many insurance companies and walk you through each step you need to experience our service. 

Reach out today to book your appointment. Let’s get you back to feeling good again.