Were you involved in a car crash? If you were lucky enough to be able to walk on your own feet and not need an ambulance, you may be confused about any soreness, stiffness, and pain that appeared hours or even days after the accident.
Below, we asked Dr. Shoeb Mohiuddin, our expert at Regenerative Pain & Spine, to explain why it takes time for specific injuries to cause pain. Read on to learn what type of injuries could be at the root of your discomfort.
Why do symptoms appear hours or days after the accident?
During a car crash, your adrenaline levels often skyrocket. Adrenaline can make you feel very alert and present, but it can also numb pain to some extent. In addition, compression of the nerves, soreness, and inflammation may take time to start causing pain.
Types of pain that can appear after a car crash and what they mean
The most common types of pain after a crash crash include the following:
- Abdominal pain
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Back pain
Abdominal pain can be an indicator of damage to the internal organs. Bruises on the abdomen can also be a sign of internal bleeding. Both symptoms should prompt immediate medical attention.
Headaches can be caused by a whiplash, which can cause soreness in the surrounding muscles, including those found on the skull. Whiplash is an injury that develops due to the sudden back and forth movement of the neck upon impact.
A concussion, or the sudden movement of the brain back and forth due to a blow to the head, can also cause headaches.
Concussions can also cause dizziness and poor balance, and they can impair cognition for a short period of time. However, with the guidance of a specialist, most people recover from a concussion within two weeks of an injury.
Whiplash can also cause neck pain. Depending on the severity of the impact, you can expect to have small muscle tears or serious damage to your spine and the nerves surrounding it. On your own, you can’t determine whether your neck pain is caused by muscle tears or severe nerve damage, and you should seek professional help to diagnose your symptoms using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Finally, back pain can be caused by whiplash, herniated disks, or spinal injuries.
Get help for your pain
If you’re experiencing symptoms after a car crash, contact us to schedule an appointment and prevent complications. Dr. Mohiuddin will examine your painful spots, and depending on the cause of your pain and the severity of the symptoms, he may prescribe physical therapy, epidural injections, shockwave therapy, and spinal cord stimulation.
