Key Takeaways
- Adrenaline can block pain for hours after an auto accident. Injuries can present themselves hours after the crash.
- Of the people involved in rear-end auto accidents, about 20% will have symptoms of whiplash hours or days later.
- Check yourself out within 24 to 72 hours after a car accident to protect your health and prove your injuries in your car accident claim.
Introduction
Many of the serious injuries we see here at Injury Clinics of Arizona develop symptoms hours to days after the car accident injury. Typically, these are whiplash and concussion cases. The persons involved in these accidents typically report they were fine immediately after the crash. It is not until 2-3 days later that they develop symptoms of pain, etc., as a result of the injury to their neck from a car accident.
How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Appear?
Most delayed symptoms after a car accident can happen within 24 to 72 hours. Injuries such as herniated discs, mild concussions, and soft tissue injuries can take weeks to even months to develop symptoms of pain as the injury goes through the various stages of inflammation. Inflammation reaches its peak in 24 to 72 hours after the injury as the swelling puts pressure on the surrounding nerves and joints.
Why Don’t These Injuries Hurt Right Away?
When a traumatic injury is like an auto accident, your body’s “fight or flight” response is triggered. The chemicals released to prepare you to either fight off an injury or run from the scene are adrenaline and cortisol. Both of these chemicals are pain-numbing, which allows you to exit your car and call for help in emergencies. As the chemical surges from the accident wear off, your nervous system can then send pain signals.
For this reason, many people do not feel pain immediately after an injury but go on to develop symptoms of injury within days. For example, after a rear-end collision, some people may develop whiplash symptoms within 24 hours, while others may not develop any symptoms for several days. Studies have estimated that 20% of people involved in rear-end collisions will develop some form of whiplash symptoms within days of the accident.
What Affects Your Car Accident Recovery Time?
The amount of time you need to recover from a car accident injury can be greatly affected by several different factors. The amount of force applied to you during the collision is a key factor. In addition, the age of the person, prior injuries, and the treatment given all play a large role in the extent and duration of recovery from an injury sustained in a car accident.
It is often the case that the initial evaluation by a health care provider has the greatest impact on the extent of injury and healing in a person who has been involved in a car accident.
Many people involved in car accidents do not receive immediate medical evaluation for injury because they feel fine. Still, by waiting to receive treatment for injury, individuals can put themselves at risk for more serious problems, including chronic problems, due to the soft tissue tears and nerve compression that can occur as a result of injury in a car accident.
How Long Does It Take to Heal from Common Crash Injuries?
Mild whiplash usually recovers in 4-6 weeks with proper physical therapy. Some concussions may start to feel better in 2 weeks, but the individual can still feel effects of the concussion for several months if not given proper rest for the brain. Herniated discs and nerve damage typically take longer to heal and can require ongoing care for symptoms to remain under control.
Bottom Line
Don’t wait until it is too late to identify hidden injuries from a car accident. Contact Injury Clinics of Arizona for a thorough physical examination by a medical doctor specializing in crash injury recovery to treat early on before more serious problems develop.
What Slows Down Recovery from Injury?
Most injuries have the potential to become chronic within weeks if left untreated. To keep your healing on track, it is crucial to follow through with a physical rehabilitation program and to return to normal activities of daily living slowly, as recommended by your medical treatment team.
As your body begins to heal and return to normal, it is also important to report any new symptoms or a decrease in function, such as numbness, tingling, dizziness, etc., to your health care provider early so that steps can be taken to address any new concerns.
Why do car accident injuries sometimes not hurt right away?
When a crash happens, two very powerful hormones go into effect in your body: adrenaline and cortisol. These two hormones can mask the pain of injury in the immediate hours following a crash, but as they begin to fall hours later, pain and stiffness in the neck, back, and body can become apparent.
What are common delayed symptoms I should watch for?
Delayed symptoms after a car accident to watch out for are Headaches. Stiffness of the neck and/or back. Numbness and/or tingling. Dizziness. Changes in your mood or memory.
4. Should I see a doctor even if I feel fine after a car accident?
Even if you feel fine after your accident, it is very important to seek medical attention within the same week as your crash. An early evaluation of injuries can diagnose potential problems before they become serious and provide you with a medical record that can be used as evidence to support your claim if you do start to feel the effects of your injury at a later time.
