Health Problems That Can Surface After a Car Accident

According to 2017 crash statistics, it is estimated that about 7,500 people are injured due to car accidents daily. The severity of the injuries resulting from a car accident varies from a minor injury to fatality. Sometimes crash victims may start experiencing symptoms of an injury immediately or not until weeks after their accident. This is because most victims’ bodies are pumped with adrenaline, endorphins, and other stress hormones that continually puts them in a fight or flight position after their accident. Only after the body senses that you are no longer in danger and the hormones stabilize is when some symptoms of crash and injury may start to manifest. Here are health problems that can surface after a car accident.

Headache and Migraines

It is estimated that about 25% of victims of car accidents reported delayed onset of headaches days, weeks, and even months after a car accident. A nasty headache after a car accident can be caused by a concussion, whiplash, muscle tension in the neck, trauma to the head, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Patients need to report headaches to their physician immediately when they occur as it could be an indicator of a fatal underlying condition.

Bruising

Bruising is defined as a discoloration of the skin due to damage to the underlying blood vessels or soft-tissue damage. Skin bruising can be difficult to identify, especially for dark-skinned individuals, and in some cases, bruising may take some time before it manifests. Therefore, it is vital to alert medical personnel if you notice any unusual bruising on your skin. Bruising is an indicator of internal bleeding, which could be fatal.

Abnormal swelling

Inflammation is a sign of tissue damage that is trying to heal. Swelling may take some time before it manifests, especially after a car crash. Inflammation or swelling is characterized by pain, redness, and warmth. Inflammation could indicate broken bones, sprain, muscle trauma, or pulled muscle. It is important to notify your doctor if you notice sudden swelling so that a thorough medical check-up can be done to rule out any fatal causes.

Numbness or Tingling

Numbness is described as the sudden loss of sensation in specific parts of your body. Numbness and tingling sensations, especially of the body extremities like the hands and legs after a car accident is common and sometimes could indicate nerve damage. In some cases, the numbness or tingling sensation is accompanied by pain. It is important to note and report cases of numbness and tingling sensations.

Ringing in your ears

Also known as tinnitus. Tinnitus is an indicator of damage to the auditory pathway or the brain. Tinnitus may take long to manifest due to the fight or flight response in individuals involved in a car accident. It could also indicate PTSD or a concussion. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice tinnitus.

Psychological Symptoms

Car accidents can be very stressful due to the constant worry of the people involved, the cost of damage, and insurance. All of this may also take a toll on an individual’s personality. There have been cases where accidents have been a turning point for most people’s behavior patterns. Sudden mood changes, depression, and anxiety symptoms are quite common in crash victims as well. During this stressful time, it is important to focus all your attention on healing. Working with a car accident attorney in Winter Haven FL or your particular locale, if needed, is advocated for most car accident victims. The car accident attorney will process the car insurance claims or any legal proceeding while you focus on your recovery.

For victims with symptoms of depression or anxiety, they should visit a therapist to help them go through this challenging phase of their life and enable them to get back to their feet. It is important to note that recovery is a personal journey, it may take weeks, months, and years, but crash victims need to start feeling like themselves again. Factors like health status, age, and treatment plan play a significant role in recovering from a car accident. It is recommended that one strictly follow the doctor’s instructions, avoid stress, eat a healthy diet, and get plenty of sleep to quicken the recovery journey.

Conclusively, some symptoms may take some time to manifest after a car accident. These symptoms may be an indicator of an underlying medical condition. It is necessary to report the symptoms to your doctors immediately when you notice them. Lastly, recovery from an accident may take some time, but your primary focus should be your health and recovery journey.