If you’ve been in a car accident, you likely experienced some kind of injury. But if you weren’t in a serious accident, do you need to visit the doctor? Unfortunately, the long-term effects of car accidents can show up weeks to months after the event. Seeing a doctor and receiving early treatment can help you recover quickly and prevent chronic pain (pain that lasts longer than three months after an accident).
Here’s what you need to know about car crash aftereffects and what to do for the best outcome.
The effects of a car crash on the human body depend on the severity of the crash, whether you were wearing a seat belt, where you were sitting during the accident and many other factors. Injuries can also vary in severity — from minor cuts and bruises to head trauma, neck and spinal cord injuries and even severe burns.
If not treated properly, some of these conditions can impact long-term quality of life. For example, a traumatic brain injury can become worse without treatment, leading to long-term trouble with memory and reasoning. Pain from untreated whiplash can cause chronic headaches and trouble with sleeping, impacting a person’s life and career.
It’s important to monitor your symptoms after a car accident. If pain increases, you need to talk to a doctor. Sometimes, injuries after a car accident don’t start to hurt until a while after the event. For example, headaches caused by car accident injuries may not begin until a few days or even weeks after an accident.
When you’ve just experienced an accident, it can be challenging to assess the extent of your own injuries. You may still be in shock or too worried about replacing your car to focus on how you feel. Seeing a medical professional is the best way to ensure you don’t suffer from long-term physical consequences after a crash.
Remember that an accident’s severity is not equal to the amount of physical injury you experienced. Some people walk away from incredibly serious accidents with no injuries at all, while others experience minor accidents that lead to chronic neck pain and headache symptoms. Regardless of an accident’s severity, you should always have a doctor assess your physical condition.
Visiting a medical professional also creates peace of mind, as you’ll receive an assessment and plan of care from a doctor who provides injury care. After talking to a doctor, you’ll know how your body was impacted in an accident and you won’t have to worry about your symptoms. Stress reduction can help you recover faster after an accident.
If your injuries seem minor, it may be tempting to skip a post-accident doctor appointment. You may reason that your pain will disappear in time, or maybe you don’t feel injured at all. Here are three reasons to see a doctor even if your injuries seem minor:
Getting medical care after an accident is important for your long-term health and recovery. By investing in your health, you’re investing in your career and ability to care for your family down the road. You should not wait for treatment until your pain is debilitating — deal with the root cause now so you can recover faster after an accident.
At Complete Care, we can provide essential injury care after a car accident that focuses on your wellness and recovery. We provide a broad range of care services for car crash aftereffects you may be experiencing. Our clinics in Central Florida are open for walk-ins, same-day appointments and virtual appointments.
Request an appointment today to get started!
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser.