When you’re involved in an auto accident, it is possible that you could have hidden injuries that won’t be readily apparent. These injuries are often hidden because your body’s stores of adrenaline and other chemicals are released when you’re put into “fight or flight” mode. Once you’re in that state, you may not feel pain as easily or may have delayed signs of swelling or other injuries.
Delayed-onset injuries aren’t always easy to see right away, but there are some that medical providers will look for based on the kind of car accident you were in. Here are three to look for.
- Brain injuries
While you might think that a brain injury would be obvious after a crash, the reality is that you may not notice a problem right away. Even if you hit your head, it will take time for blood and swelling to put pressure on the brain. Sometimes, a slow bleed could take many hours or days before it starts to cause symptoms.
- Broken bones
When your body has you hyped up with adrenaline, you may not notice that your arm is hurting or that your foot is starting to swell. The signs of broken bones don’t always become apparent until an hour or two after the injury has taken place. Getting an X-ray or physical can help identify breaks that you may not yet have noticed.
- Whiplash
Whiplash is caused by strain on the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the neck and connecting the head to the shoulders. When these are stretched or torn, they can cause stiffness, pain and other symptoms. The injuries may not show symptoms for anywhere from 24 hours to 48 hours or longer in some people.
You deserve support if you’ve been involved in a car crash
These are a few of the delayed-onset injuries that people may not notice after a crash. If you’re involved in a serious collision, it’s important to seek medical care to look for these and other injuries. The right approach may help you start on a treatment plan that helps you stabilized and recover faster.
