How Long After A Car Accident Can Symptoms Appear?

Anyone who has been involved in an auto accident knows how scary the experience can be. Many people have walked away from an accident only to discover that they sustained injuries and did not realize it. The fact that you may not feel any pain after the accident does not mean that you are fine. There is a good reason why people are advised to always seek medical attention after a car accident. 

 

Delayed Symptoms And Injuries

Failing to feel pain is not evidence that you are unharmed or that you did not sustain injuries. The fact is that injuries can appear long after the accident. Accidents often cause delayed pain. The reason for this can be that adrenaline produced due to the shock can mask the pain. Delayed symptoms and injuries can get worse over time. It is important to monitor yourself for some time after the accident. You should not ignore any pain, even when it seems mild.

 

How Long It Can Take For Injuries To Manifest

Symptoms and injuries can manifest long after a car accident. Some injuries or symptoms manifest hours, days, or weeks after the accident. It is not clear why some people experience symptoms immediately while others experience a delay. The severity and location of the injuries can determine when the symptoms appear. How long it takes for symptoms to appear can also depend on the patient’s physical or general health.

 

Symptoms To Look Out For

There are some symptoms to look out for after an auto accident. They include headaches, neck or back pain, abdominal pain, and tingling and numbness in the limbs. Other symptoms to look out for are fatigue, behavior changes, and abnormal sleep patterns. Most people ignore behavior or personality changes, not associating them with the accident. This is dangerous, as they can mask a serious or potentially fatal injury. 

 

Whiplash After A Car Accident

One of the most common injuries after a car accident is whiplash. Whiplash can occur even after a relatively minor accident. The sudden impact of the crash can cause the body to be jerked back and forth. The forceful motion causes the nerves, soft tissues, and vertebrae in the cervical spine to become stretched or damaged.

 

This means that you can get whiplash even when your vehicle is virtually intact. Common symptoms of whiplash include headaches, neck pain, stiffness, shoulder and back pain, and difficulty moving.

 

Suffering A Concussion

A concussion is a common injury that occurs after a car accident. The condition occurs when the head is jolted from the impact of the crash. This motion causes the brain to move around in the skull. Also referred to as a mild traumatic brain injury, a concussion is characterized by damaged soft tissue and brain cells.

 

Symptoms of concussion include headaches, dizziness and confusion, loss of consciousness, fatigue, nausea, and mental fogginess. Others are insomnia, focus and concentration changes, mood changes, loss of balance, and sensitivity to sound and light.

 

Other injuries can appear long after a car accident. They include slipped or herniated disc injuries, soft tissue injuries, spinal injuries, and more. It is important to seek treatment soon after a car accident. 

For more on what to do after a car accident, contact The Spine Clinic at our office in Salem, Oregon. You can call us at (503) 362-5555 today to schedule an appointment.