Why Am I Having Delayed Pain After My Car Accident?

Recovering from a motor vehicle accident can be a long road. Your recovery can be made even longer by pain that’s chronic or delayed. You may even experience pain from injuries you weren’t aware you had. Why?

Some injuries take longer to manifest symptoms, and other injuries can crop up after the initial shock of the accident has worn off.

Whatever the reason for your pain, our team at AllCare specializes in auto accident injuries and can help you root out the cause of your pain and regain your quality of life.

What happens to your body in a car accident

When you experience any traumatic injury — and you can experience many in a car crash — your body releases adrenaline and goes into fight-or-flight mode to protect itself.

This reaction means that right after a car accident, you experience less heightened pain or maybe none at all. You also have more energy, increased muscle strength, and maybe even tunnel vision.

Your body also releases endorphins to protect you from the emotional and physical shock you may have experienced. But after the initial shock has passed, your endorphin and adrenaline levels come back down, and you may experience pain you didn’t have before.

Car crash injuries with delayed symptoms

Almost any injury can have delayed symptoms, but these are most common:

Whiplash

About 12% of passengers in car accidents experience whiplash. This number could be much higher since whiplash can disguise itself as many other injuries. 

Whiplash symptoms often don’t appear until 2-3 days after an accident; when it arrives, the pain can be debilitating. Whiplash symptoms include headaches, neck pain, fatigue, and dizziness. Whiplash symptoms can be permanent for up to 86% of victims.

Concussion

Head injuries such as concussions are common in car accidents. Concussion symptoms include dizziness, confusion, headaches, and nausea. 

If you suffered a blow to the head in an accident, you might not realize you have a concussion for a few days. This delay is an example of the importance of getting checked out as soon as possible after a car accident.

Back injury

There’s a strong link between developing chronic lower back pain and being injured in a car accident. What might start as a dull ache right after the crash can grow into excruciating pain down the road if left untreated.

It’s important to seek help if you’re injured or in pain after an accident, regardless of how long it’s been since the accident. The sooner you seek treatment, the lower your risk of future complications.

Whatever your needs — whether it’s a whiplash diagnosis or physical therapy for your recovery — our team is ready to help if you’ve been in a car accident. Call the office most convenient to you or book your appointment online today.