Not All Injuries Produce Pain Immediately

When we think of being injured in car crash, what usually comes to mind?  Often, it’s the traumatic injuries that require emergency medical help – maybe even the fire department to cut the vehicle open to remove the victim.  These certainly are common, but delayed onset injuries can often be deadlier.

Let’s check in with the Car Crash Captain and see what these injuries are, why they occur, and some of the warning signs that we should watch for to ensure major issues don’t arise down the road.

Why do Delayed Onset Injuries Occur?

We know about the fight or flight responses to danger.  Our bodies naturally go into this protective mode so we can remove ourselves from the situation where we are being threatened.  What the body doesn’t fully recognize, is that a traumatic car accident happens quickly, and flight or flight doesn’t really come into play in most of these situations.

Naturally reacting, the body sends adrenaline and endorphins to help with the fight.

Adrenaline causes a chain reaction throughout the body.  Your heart rate and blood pressure increase.  The body dumps glucose into the blood to fuel cells, and your lungs swell to bring in more oxygen.  All together you have near super-human powers for a short time.

All that adrenaline has to be processed through the body though.  When there’s no “fight or flight” you can feel light headed, dizzy, and even as though the following moments are happening in slow motion or a dream-like state.

But that’s not all that happens.  Endorphins are also released en masse.  These neurotransmitters, often associated with exercise and being happy, act as pain blockers.  Much more powerful than most pain medications, endorphins mask the pain that you may be feeling, and work in conjunction with the adrenaline that can give you an almost elated feeling.

Both of these can remain in your system and their effects can linger for as long as 48 hours.

What are Common Delayed Onset Injuries?

During those first couple of days, your body is quickly assessing damage and trying to repair anything that happened to you.  As we know, however, most injuries won’t heal within a couple of days.  But the body can continue to mask symptoms and pain as it frantically tries to fix the damage.

When it cannot fix everything, due to severity of the damage or just not enough time, pain starts to show up depending on what was injured.

Neck or Should Pain – Whiplash causes neck muscles and tendons to stretch beyond capacity.  If your neck and shoulder areas feel tight, it could be an early indicator of whiplash.

Headache – Whiplash can lead to headaches as well.  Even more serious, however, is the indication of brain injury or blood clots.  Pain from brain swelling may be delayed as pressure increases over time.

Numbness – Spinal injuries can compress disks.  When these are pinched, they can block of the nervous system, and extremities can feel numb, or have a tingling sensation.

Back Pain – Spinal issues aren’t limited to compressed, or herniated, discs.  They include a whole host of problems including damaged muscles and ligaments, broken bones, and joints pushed out of place.

Abdominal Pain – Internal bleeding is a severe issue, but if the bleeding is slow, it can take several days before symptoms begin to show.

Emotional Issues – It’s common to be shaken up after a wreck, but out-of-character mood swings or inappropriate emotional responses can indicate physical damage to the brain.  Other issues, such as PTSD, can take much longer to show up.

Much of the damage to your body won’t have indicators right away.  Aside from the very obvious broken bones, you might think you’re walking away from the wreck.  It’s important that you have a medical professional check you out right away so you can start those records for the insurance claim.

Herbert Law Group – Car Wreck Lawyer Near Dallas, Texas

Even with medical attention, doctors might not be able to determine if something is wrong until you tell them something is wrong.  If you have settled your case with the insurance company, and then issues start to arise, you’ll have little recourse to seek more compensation.

That’s why it’s important to have an experience car wreck lawyer on your side.  Herbert Law Group knows what to expect, and we know how long it can take before serious issues show symptoms.

Let us deal with the insurance companies, you focus on healing from your injuries and getting to those doctor appointments so you can be treated properly.

First, though, we need to know what happened.  Call our office at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and we can have a no obligation conversation to see how we can help.