Auto accidents are the cause of a variety of injuries, ranging from minor scratches to serious injuries requiring hospitalization. Often, injuries such as fractures and lacerations cause and show immediate symptoms. However, in some cases, car injury symptoms are not visible right away and may take several days or weeks before showing up.
Unfortunately, some people involved in auto accidents who do not experience immediate or obvious symptoms opt not to consult or visit an auto clinic, believing they came out of the accident unscathed. However, it is important to immediately seek medical attention for a proper evaluation even if you haven’t obtained any scratches after an accident. Doing so will help determine the real and total extent of the injuries that you may have obtained before the symptoms even appear.
Furthermore, some symptoms may develop right away or a while after your medical evaluation. So, it is crucial to stay alert for them and make sure that you seek a new medical evaluation from a certified auto injury doctor. Being keen on observing some symptoms and letting your doctor evaluate them immediately will not only help prevent the symptoms from worsening but also assist with your insurance claim.
In this article, RiteCare Medical Center will discuss 6 delayed auto accident symptoms you shouldn’t ignore and should look out for after your auto accident.
1. Stomach pain
Experiencing stomach pain after a car accident usually means that you have an internal injury or bleeding. The internal soft tissue injuries are the main cause of stomach pain, the pain can last for hours or days after the accident. Therefore, it requires immediate medical treatment.
The pain in the abdominal area may also cause dizziness and large bruises. If you have observed this after a car accident getting immediate medical attention is advisable.
2. Dizziness or headaches
Auto injuries such as concussions, blood clots, and whiplash may result in dizziness or headaches. These symptoms may be experienced even several weeks after the car accident. Some of these head injuries can get worse over time if not given immediate medical attention.
These symptoms may also be due to a traumatic brain injury. If your head was hit on a hard surface or was suddenly thrown with force during the car accident, the impact may result in a damage to the soft tissue of the brain.
This instance will cause bruising, swelling, and bleeding and will cause damage to the brain tissue. This type of traumatic brain injury is considered to be life-threatening, so it is important to seek medical attention immediately.
If the symptoms were not present during your initial medical appointment, you can be evaluated again, so the case can be properly documented. Also, this will ensure that you receive proper care and treatment.
3. Shoulder or neck pain
When you experience shoulder or neck pain it may be due to a herniated disc, spinal cord injury or other types of injury. Shoulder and neck pain is a common symptom of whiplash.
Shoulder or neck pain symptoms may appear after several days of your accident. Once you have noticed these symptoms go to the nearest auto injury clinic in Hialeah.
4. Back pain
Experiencing back pain after a few hours or days of the accident may be a symptom of soft tissue injury, a herniated disc, spinal cord injury, whiplash or a sprain.
Numbness, tingling, and pain in the back may also be due to pinched nerves. These types of conditions may cause chronic pain and mobility disorders if not treated immediately.
5. Tingling or numbness
Tingling or numbness sensation after a car accident on any part of the body may be due to a herniated disc or a pinched nerve. If left untreated it may cause severe pain and other potential complications. It is important to be immediately evaluated by a professional if these symptoms appear.
Remember that putting off seeing your doctor after a car accident may worsen your injury and lead to further medical complications in the future. You should seek professional help immediately after you get hurt.
6. Behavioral changes
If you or your loved one has recently survived a car accident and you notice subtle to drastic behavioral changes, it’s possible that you or they sustained an invisible yet dangerous injury. Changes in behavior are a way for the brain to tell you that something is not right. Concussions can lead to personality and behavior issues. These are often accompanied by memory, vision, and hearing issues. Such symptoms also signify auto accident post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Brain injuries are among the leading injuries related to vehicular accidents. It’s important that these are diagnosed sooner rather than later, and the only way to diagnose them is through thorough and proper evaluations.
How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Show Up?
Commonly, car accident injuries manifest symptoms immediately after the event. However, some injuries may take several days or even weeks before they show symptoms. These kinds of injuries are referred to as delayed-onset injuries. But, why does this happen? Why do injuries and symptoms get delayed?
You see, the human body has interesting ways to protect you from pain or trauma. For one, the adrenaline rush can mask injury symptoms. Your shock may also keep you from feeling or focusing on physical symptoms. These can delay your body’s reaction to the accident and physical injuries or trauma that come with it. However, delayed injuries can be serious and life-threatening especially when left undiagnosed and unaddressed. To make matters worse, some patients may not think that their new symptoms are still related to the accident that happened weeks ago, keeping them from seeking the right medical attention.
Why Should You See a Doctor After a Car Accident?
Anybody can get involved in a motor vehicle accident anytime, anywhere. If you meet such an accident and survive, consider yourself very fortunate. However, even if you get out of the accident scene standing and walking, you shouldn’t ignore the importance of getting checked by an auto injury doctor immediately after the accident. This is because delayed injuries can be as dangerous, if not more dangerous even, than those that immediately show.
When a doctor evaluates your condition right after the accident, they can determine possible delayed injuries, reminding you to watch out for symptoms sooner or later. The auto injury doctor will also prescribe that you come in for a follow-up checkup so they can evaluate you for delayed-onset injuries. They will also provide you with a list of to-dos should you experience related symptoms.
Furthermore, if you are making an injury claim after the car accident, your car accident doctor can help with the proper documentation. If you wait too long to consult a doctor after the accident, the insurance provider might deem your injuries unrelated to the accident.
RiteCare Medical Center in Hialeah – Further Information
If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident and you are one of the people who avoid seeing their physician, we strongly encourage you to change your disposition and visit our auto clinic in Hialeah. While it’s a positive sign that you didn’t experience any major symptom after your accident, it is recommended to make 100% sure that you did not sustain any invisible injuries. Contact us today to receive the care that you need and deserve.
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.
