Car accident injuries vary from minor to severe. You won’t feel the full extent of your injuries until hours or days after the accident so it can be difficult to know what to expect.
Common Physical Symptoms
Headaches (Very Common)
- Headaches aren’t always experienced right away. You could feel okay right after your accident but wake up the next morning, or even days later, with a splitting headache.
- A headache can range from a minor annoyance to a symptom of something more serious.
Neck, Shoulder, or Back Pain
- You may feel fine at first, but don’t be fooled. You may very well begin to experience pains that seem to appear out of nowhere.
- The pain may be in one location or feel like it’s shooting down the arms or legs.
Numbness or Tingling
- Nerve or tissue damage can cause numbness or tingling, especially in your back, neck, shoulders, hands, or feet and can sometimes be accompanied by pain.
Abdominal Pain & Nausea
- You may have bruising or trauma to the stomach area from the seatbelt. It’s important to be evaluated immediately to rule out internal bleeding.
Swelling
- Trauma to your body such as tissue damage, pulled muscles and sprains can often cause swelling which may be delayed until hours or days later.
- Swelling can cause a lot of stiffness and pain that treatment can relieve.
You may experience other types of symptoms such as mood changes, ringing in your ears, trouble concentrating or remembering, or blurry vision or dizziness. These can be brought on by a variety of factors and can take hours, days, or even weeks to fully develop.
How To Help Improve Your Recovery Time
- Get an evaluation & start treatment immediately.
- Carefully follow all recommendations.
- Get enough sleep.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Take steps to reduce stress.