Crashes Happen
With all of the kids across the country going back to school, stop and go traffic will be on the rise and so will fender benders! By car insurance industry estimates, the average American will file a claim for a collision about once every 18 years (Property Casualty Insurers Association of America). Don’t worry too much, a tiny fraction of these are fatal, and most are just small collisions. However, it does not mean you walk away without injury. There are quite a few injuries that can take a bit of time to show up!
Common Injuries That Don’t Always Show Up Immediately
When you are first involved in any type of a fender bender, your adrenaline is going to spike. You are going to be more worried about what happened than how your body feels. You aren’t necessarily going to feel the pain of an injury right away. Here are a few that may show up hours, or even a few days, after an accident:
Headaches
Sudden headaches afterward could be the sign that you experienced whiplash during the accident. Even a minor bump on the head could cause you to have a headache later, so if you notice this sign, you should make sure to get checked out. Headaches may also be a symptom of an injury not located in your head but pinched nerves in your neck or back.
Pain in Your Neck and Shoulders
Even if your fender bender was only at a few miles per hour, it could still have caused damage. When you brace yourself prior to an impact, it can hurt your neck and your shoulders, and leave them out of alignment. Basically, the laws of inertia make you a lot heavier than you can physically account for when stopping. Any time that you suspect you had an injury to your neck or your shoulder area, you should be seen to make sure.
Aches In Your Back and Other Joints
The jarring nature of an accident can cause a lot of stiffness, sometimes appearing quite some time afterward. It also comes when you try to brace yourself as the accident occurred. If you notice that your body, especially your back, is really achy within the first few days after an accident, then it is best that you go in and see your chiropractor. They can help realign your back and joints so you can start feeling better quickly.
Limb Numbness
Pinched nerves are common after accidents, especially minor ones because people often believe they were unharmed. If you notice any tingling or numbness in your extremities, again, your chiropractor is a great person to call because they can put things into alignment and reduce pinch on the nerves causing the issue.
Spinecare offers a complementary consultation to anyone who has recently experienced a crash or fender bender. Contact us today!
[ninja_forms id=5]
