An unexpected auto accident can cause painful injuries that impact a person for weeks and years to come. There are different types of damages that a person can suffer in a car accident; soft tissue injury and broken bones are the most common of all. Also, you may experience emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress or flashbacks.
If you are the victim of a car accident, you probably have dozens of questions. Your injury may seem minor, but your pain may have started to worsen after days or weeks of the crash. And you might be thinking that your pain will just go away on its own. Right?
For your own health and well-being, without wasting much time, see a health care provider as soon as you experience pain or injuries from car accidents.
Types of Car Crashes
- Head-On Collisions
- Rear-End Crashes
- Side-Impact Accidents
- Fatal Crashes
- SUV Rollover Crashes
- Commercial Vehicle and Truck Crashes
Most Common Car Accident Injuries
1. Whiplash
Whiplash is the common name for muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries that can happen in an auto accident. When you’re in a car collision, your body moves suddenly; faster than you would imagine. That trauma can strain soft tissues and muscles without breaking bones. No doubt, a whiplash injury can be painful and can take a long time to heal.
2. Head Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries can cause complications, if not treated properly, that last far into the future. These injuries can affect your brain function as well as a result of sleeping difficulties.
Note: Brain injury may be difficult to diagnose, and a patient may need a deliberate treatment plan as soon as possible to avoid complications.
3. Scrapes and Cuts
It is common to have scrapes and cuts after a car accident. You might get hit by loose projectiles like your phone in the car, or you may receive cuts from the impact of the other vehicle. Either way, cuts or scrapes can be painful as well as pose a greater risk for infections and other medical complications.
4. Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding can become life-threatening, especially if it’s not treated on time after the crash. If there’s any chance of internal bleeding, visit the doctor immediately.
5. Broken Ribs
Ribs are fragile. Even moderate impact can cause a breakage of ribs. In a car accident, you might suffer broken ribs when hardly pushed forwards, backward, or sideways because of the crash. And the damage requires lengthy periods of rest and can be extremely painful.
6. Other Broken Bones
Broken arms, hips, shoulders, and even legs are common in a car accident that puts unnatural amounts of force on a body––more than your bones can withstand. Broken bones are common in car crashes, including side-impact and rear-end accidents.
7. Knee Trauma
The car crash can damage your knees, causing pain to your kneecap and ligaments. You might need crutches, braces, or surgery to rebuild your knee. Knees are complicated to deal with, and injuries can be painful. In fact, a minor knee injury is frustrating because it causes difficulty walking.
8. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Did you know not all auto accident injuries are physical? Yes, a person might suffer from emotional and mental injuries because of an accident. This is called post-traumatic stress disorder, which could take years to overcome.
9. Other Psychological Pain Like Guilt
Likewise, post-traumatic stress disorder, a person might suffer from other psychological injuries in a car accident. He or she might feel a great deal of guilt and might experience flashbacks. These kinds of mental distress are called real injuries that can take a lot of time to heal. Furthermore, it’s vital to get the professional help that you need for your mental injuries, in addition to physical injuries.
The type and severity of injuries from car accident depend on the following factors:
- Was the person wearing a seat belt?
- Did the car have airbags?
- From where did the person’s car get hit from the front, side, or rear?
- Was it a high-speed crash or low-speed collision?
How Can A Person Avoid Car Accident Injuries?
Even though we have no control over the other drivers on the road, but what we can do to avoid injuries from car accidents is to first, wear our seatbelt that saves lives. Secondly, observe the speed limit. And finally, keeping our vehicle in working order–– making sure that a car is in good condition and there is no equipment failure.
Did you know?
In 1999, approx 9,500 people died because they were not wearing seat belts. A National Safety Council study indicates that the use of seatbelts varies widely from state to state, and those drivers who avoid putting on seat belts or improperly wearing it come across accidents more often.
No matter what, staying alert and paying attention to the road is the overall best way to prevent a car accident. With so many people injured annually, these brief steps can help you a long way in preventing harm.
Note: Never drive after consuming alcohol (that interferes with your brain communication pathway), even if you believe you’re perfectly alright to get behind the wheel.
Seek Medical Treatment Immediately
If you have experienced injuries to your bones, discs, nerves, ligaments, joints or tendons and the injuries are left untreated for long, it is possible that you may develop Post Traumatic Arthritis––– condition triggered by a dreadful joint trauma––– that can lead to chronic inflammatory arthropathies or osteoarthritis. Such injuries can damage your bone and/or the cartilage, changing the mechanics of the joint that has had an injury and making it wear out more quickly.
Chiropractors can realign your spine while helping the whiplash or other injuries to heal properly. While visiting a chiropractor is the same as visiting other healthcare providers.
Thank you for reading!
Don’t just accept the chronic pain you’re experiencing after a car injury. Call the best Chiropractors today.