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3 kinds of injuries that often go undetected after a car crash

On Behalf of | Jan 4, 2023 | Car Accidents

Car crashes are one of the most common reasons that people require extensive medical care. After experiencing a painful and jarring motor vehicle collision, many people are simply grateful still be conscious and to be able to move their bodies freely.

They check themselves for injury and assume that they are mostly unharmed. They may even say something about their lack of an injury to the other driver or the police officer who comes to take the report for the crash. Unfortunately, there are medical conditions, including very serious ones, that don’t always produce noticeable symptoms right after a collision.

What kind of injuries might you struggle to notice after a crash?

  1. Internal bleeding

You can damage your body severely and not see the physical evidence of the injury. Your seatbelt could cause an abdominal injury that results in bleeding internally.

If you hit your head on the window or the steering wheel, you could have internal bleeding inside your skull. The concussion or traumatic brain injury that you suffer might continue to get worse for several days before you start to notice concerning symptoms.

People can likewise go some time without recognizing the warning signs of abdominal bleeding, which can prove fatal if not detected and treated in time.

  1. Soft tissue injuries

One of the most painful and common injuries that someone may suffer in a car crash is whiplash. When someone gets hit from behind by someone traveling at a faster speed, the motion that results can shake someone’s head around on their neck, causing inflammation and pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back.

There are many other soft tissue injuries that are also possible because of the intense force of a crash. These injuries often don’t have symptoms right away but will become noticeable in the next few days when someone experiences debilitating pain or a sudden reduction in their range of motion.

  1. Spinal cord injuries

One of the most persistent myths about spinal cord injury is that it always results in immediate and total paralysis. That is not true. Many people suffer what doctors refer to as incomplete spinal cord injuries.

Someone could pinch or partially tear their spinal cord during a crash. They may not notice the warning signs right away, but the condition could worsen if they don’t secure proper treatment. They could do permanent damage to their bodies by moving around freely with a partial injury.

Careful evaluation is often necessary to rule out internal bleeding, soft tissue injuries and spinal cord injuries that might lead to major medical limitations for the people involved in a car crash. Rather than assuming you are uninjured, it will typically benefit you to undergo a professional medical evaluation and check for the warning signs of these often invisible injuries.

Understanding the kinds of injuries you might suffer in a car wreck will make it easier for you to properly evaluate yourself in the aftermath of a crash.