When people are in car accidents, they are emotionally “exciting” events, but not in a good way. Typically, the car accident will lead to an adrenaline rush, inciting the “fight or flight” response. As the adrenaline floods the body, the person’s sensitivity to pain diminishes – and sometimes this numbness to pain can last hours or even days.
Adrenaline can be your friend when you’re running from a mountain lion in California’s wilderness, or from a Grizzly bear in Alaska, or when you’re carrying a 70-pound unconscious child from a burning house, but after a car accident, the adrenaline can be deceiving.
Like other emergency situations, car accidents can create a heightened level of excitement. In effect, the body is flooded with adrenaline and endorphins, which can be great pain blockers. In effect, people can feel “perfectly fine” after a car accident, but once the chemicals subside, the pain from the injuries start to surface.
Seeking Medical Attention After an Accident
Even the lower-speed car accidents can generate a lot of force, leading to soft-tissue injuries and concussions. A soft-tissue injury for example, can lead to pain, inflammation, decreased mobility, irritability, and difficulty sleeping. Sometimes, it can take days or weeks for the effects of a soft-tissue injury to fully manifest.
Another issue is concussions. A sudden blow, or even a jolt to the head can lead to a concussion. While some symptoms, such as dizziness and loss of consciousness are obvious, other signs of a concussion are less conspicuous. Here are some common concussion symptoms:
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Cloudy thinking
- Blurred vision
- Personality changes
- Sleep disturbances
- Memory problems
- Difficulty concentrating
If you have experienced any of the above symptoms and you were recently in a car accident, you could have a concussion. Our advice is to seek medical attention at once.
After a car accident, you should always seek medical attention, even if you don’t feel any pain (yet). Your doctor can check for any soft tissue injuries, internal injuries, and signs of a concussion. Your doctor can also advise you on which red flags to look out for.
When should you see a doctor or chiropractor? The sooner the better. If you can get in that day or the next day, then great. If at possible, try to see a doctor within three days of the car accident, even if you don’t feel any pain. If you end up making a personal injury claim, it’s critical to show documentation that you sought medical attention in a timely manner. Otherwise, the insurance company could try to deny your claim by saying, “Clearly, you weren’t that hurt because you didn’t go to the doctor.”
Need a New Jersey car accident attorney? Contact Brandon J. Broderick, Attorney at Law at (201) 870-1909. We'll return your call within 12 hours!