Should I See a Doctor After my Car Accident?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2012 alone more than 2.5 million Americans visited the emergency room for injuries sustained in a car accident. If you’ve been in a serious accident and sustained life-threatening injuries, you will most likely be taken to the hospital in an ambulance. But what if you are able to walk away from the accident and the damage does not seem that serious? Should you go to the doctor after the accident? The short answer is yes.

You Could Have Hidden Injuries

Some accident injuries such as lacerations and bone fractures are obvious. However, other injuries may not be readily apparent. Because of the adrenaline that flows through you after an accident occurs, you may not feel pain right away. But there could be one of a number of different injuries hidden under the surface such as

• Whiplash—one of the most commonly reported injuries. Whiplash can occur even after a low-speed collision. Sometimes the effects of whiplash don’t manifest themselves until weeks after the accident. Symptoms include neck tenderness or stiffness, headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, numbness in the extremities, and cognitive difficulties. Whiplash can affect a person for months after an accident
• Back, Shoulder, and Neck Injuries—because of adrenaline you may not feel pain in these areas immediately. An experienced doctor may perform an x-ray or an MRI to determine whether you have a hidden injury.
• Fractures—some broken bones may go unnoticed after a car accident. Hairline fractures or greenstick or buckle fractures in children are commonly hard to detect without a medical examination.
• Internal Injuries—blunt trauma, such as hitting a steering wheel can cause injuries to abdominal organs such as the spleen or the stomach. There may also be internal bleeding which can quickly become deadly if left untreated.
• Traumatic Brain Injury—closed head injuries where there is no visible laceration can be common in a car accident . The injury could range from a mild concussion to bruising or swelling of the brain. Head injuries should always be evaluated by a doctor immediately after an accident.