Motor vehicle accidents can be distressing and lead to sudden injuries. However, a car accident can also cause an injury that is associated with delayed symptoms and people may not realize those symptoms stem from the accident. Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics (CNSO) is a comprehensive center in New Jersey providing diagnoses and treatments for a wide range of brain and spine conditions, including injuries from motor vehicle accidents. Learn more about delayed symptoms after a car accident and how leaving them untreated can lead to more serious problems.
Why Do Some Injuries After a Car Accident Have a Delay in Symptoms?
When a car accident occurs, the driver and passengers incur significant forces because of the impact, and those forces along with directly hitting other physical objects, cause the injuries. Some injuries result in broken bones, cuts, tears, burns, or dislocation of joints and are visible right away, while other injuries may not be noticeable until days or even weeks later. So, why are some symptoms delayed? When a person is in a car accident or incurs a traumatic injury due to any cause, their mind activates a fight-or-flight response that stiffens all muscles to brace for impact. In times of fear or excitement, the two chemicals activated throughout the body are:
- Adrenaline: An adrenal hormone released in stressful situations that provides awareness and energy
- Endorphins: Brain peptides that help block the perception of pain and provide a feeling of well-being
These chemical responses work together to mask the injuries, so the person is capable of moving out of harm’s way. The result of the chemical release is the stiffening of all the muscles in the body to such a magnitude of intensity that the muscles develop spasms that mask the damage to the joints or skin. These underlying injuries often are not revealed until days to weeks, sometimes months, after the muscles relax from spasming.
Common Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident
A person may claim they feel OK immediately after a car accident, because of the adrenalin and endorphin surge. However, as the masking effects of adrenaline and endorphins diminish, the individual begins to notice symptoms that then gradually worsen. Common delayed symptoms people may experience after a car crash include:
- Back pain: Pain along the spine or elsewhere in the back can indicate spinal injuries like slipped discs, whiplash, pinched nerves, and more.
- Headaches: Frequent headaches can be due to whiplash, a concussion, traumatic brain injury, or a cranial bleed.
- Tingling and numbness: Pins and needles feelings or numbness can occur with a brain injury, pinched nerve, herniated disc, or another nervous system problem.
- Neck and shoulder pain: Aches and pains in the neck and shoulder can be caused by whiplash that results in damage to the neck joints
- Shoulder pain, Elbow Pain, Knee Pain, Hip Pain: Impact related to tears in the cartilage and ligaments of major as well as joints.
- Mental and Emotional changes: Personality changes like forgetfulness, anxiety, and lack of concentration can be related to a concussion, traumatic brain injury (TBI), or even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
These are just some of the delayed symptoms that people experience after car collisions, but they can also include fatigue, nausea, swelling, and changes in hearing or vision. Patients who experience any of these symptoms after a car accident should seek treatment.
Why Is it Important to Seek Treatment for Delayed Symptoms When It Occurs?
Delayed symptoms can affect a patient’s diagnosis and treatment. This is why those who have been in a car accident should consult their doctor as soon as they begin to experience symptoms and inform the doctor of any MVA or accident because the doctor can help determine if the cause of the symptoms is related. Any symptom, including delayed symptoms that are left untreated, can cause further deterioration and more severe medical conditions that could have been avoided. Further, determining the cause of the injury is extremely important because it will determine the type of insurance that will cover the cost of care, especially if someone else is at fault for the accident. At CNSO, our doctors and staff can both determine the cause of injury and help guide you as to the correct insurance that will pay for your care.
An example of delayed symptoms is when a patient gets into an accident and feels fine for a few days, then starts to notice neck pain. They attribute it to the way they slept, their workout, or working hunched over at the computer. Then when the neck pain does not stop by the third week, they start experiencing headaches but attribute them to stress or seasonal changes and still do not seek treatment. Finally, because the headaches and neck pain do not stop for weeks to months, sometimes years, they start to seek medical care from an ENT doctor, a primary care physician, a physical therapist, a pain management doctor, a neurosurgeon, or an orthopedic spine surgeon. It is at that time they discover that they have a pinched nerve in their neck that is the cause of both their neck pain and their headaches. This is a common occurrence that the doctors at CNSO identify and can easily treat without requiring surgery if detected early enough.
At CNSO, the team of award-winning neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons, interventional pain management physicians, physiatrists, rehabilitation specialists, and certified physical therapists takes a conservative approach to pain management and treatment. They offer non-invasive methods like physical therapy, rehabilitation medicine, and steroid injections into the affected joints, before turning to surgical measures. If surgery is necessary, CNSO has the experience and technology needed to provide the best care.
Request an Appointment Today to Learn More
Whether a patient experiences symptoms right after a motor vehicle collision or they are delayed, they should seek prompt treatment to prevent long-term complications. Centers for Neurosurgery, Spine & Orthopedics (CNSO) provides rapid access to compassionate, comprehensive care at convenient office locations throughout northern New Jersey, including in Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Morris, and Hudson counties. To learn more about how CNSO helps diagnose and treat delayed symptoms after a car accident, request an appointment today.
