Automobile accidents are one of the leading causes of personal injury in today’s world. According to the National Safety Council (NSC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over two million people were injured in car accidents between 2018 and 2020. Motor vehicle accidents can result in minor or major physical or psychological injuries. A car accident can have far-reaching consequences.
Auto accident injuries vary depending on the severity of the collision. Though no two car accidents are alike, the injuries sustained after the incident are often similar because the human body can only move so much in such a confined space at impact. As a result, this article focuses on some common car accident injuries, treatment procedures, and other relevant information.
Common Injuries Sustained from Car Accidents
Head Injuries
A car accident can result in a significant blow to the head, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. If you walk away from a car accident with only a minor concussion, you’re lucky; some car accident victims suffer more severe head injuries. Car accident head injuries can range from mild to severe, putting the victim in a coma for months and causing permanent disability.
Seizures, speech impairment, memory loss, and paralysis in specific body parts can all result from traumatic brain injuries. The resulting disability is determined by the affected area of the brain.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The force of a car accident can permanently damage a person’s spinal cord. This is one of the worst injuries a person can sustain because there is a risk of paralysis if the spinal cord is damaged.
Perhaps a person only suffered bruises on the spinal column; such a person will eventually recover. However, if the spine is severely damaged, there are only a few options for treatment. Recovering from partial or complete paralysis can be difficult because the source of the problem – nerve damage – cannot be repaired.
Internal Injuries
Excessive pressure on the human body can result in both external and internal injuries, with internal injuries being more dangerous. Some car accident victims can suffer organ damage or internal bleeding.
The spleen, liver, and pancreas, among other organs, may be affected by the collision. The most common and effective medical treatment for internal organ damage is surgery. However, hospitalization costs can be prohibitively expensive, and a person with damaged internal organs may require a transplant.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries concern damage to the connective tissues in the human body. Injuries to the ligaments, muscles, and tendons are expected consequences of motor vehicle accidents.
A soft tissue injury can occur in many forms. A neck and upper back whiplash injury is a soft tissue injury. Whiplash injuries occur when muscles and ligaments experience stretching due to sudden head and neck movements in a car accident. This car accident injury can subject an individual to disfigurement and permanent scarring, and the pain is often long-lasting.
Neck Injuries
During a car accident, a person’s tendons, muscles, cartilage, and other soft tissues in the neck region can be damaged. Whiplash is caused by rapid backward and forward movements of the neck. Whiplash or other soft tissue damage can take months to heal.
Back Injuries
Back injuries are common following a car accident because the human body and spine are not designed to withstand high impact. This type of injury may not manifest itself until later, and you may suffer from a variety of them, including:
- Strain
- Sprain
- Ruptured disc
- Paralysis
- Nerve damage
- Slipped or herniated disc
A lot of these injuries caused by car crashes necessitate chiropractic and surgical treatment, while others, particularly paralysis, are permanent. This type of car accident trauma can be extremely painful, cause serious injuries, frequently disables people, and the pain can be excruciating.
Chest Injuries
As the impact can cause forward movement toward the steering wheel, broken or cracked ribs are not uncommon in car accident victims—injuries to the chest range from painful bruises to broken bones and organ damage.
Following a car crash, you may require a full-body and X-ray scan to determine if you have any internal injuries. Rest and pain relievers are the only treatments for this auto accident injury unless you have broken ribs or internal organ damage.
Treatment for Auto Accident Injuries
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is one of the effective treatments administered to car crash victims. The therapy regimen will vary depending on the injury sustained, and therapy sessions may include strengthening and hands-on stretching exercises.
Therapists work with patients to design customized exercises to help them regain their flexibility, strength, and other bodily functions.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring the human body’s optimal spinal alignment. The crash impact causes most car accident victims to lose their spinal alignment. Chiropractors use adjustment or spinal manipulation techniques involving vertebral re-alignment with controlled force during treatment to relieve pressure on the spinal nerves.
Although spinal adjustment may relieve significant back pain after just one treatment, individuals who have suffered significant spinal injuries may require multiple treatments to achieve the desired result.
Back Pain Treatment
Most back pain treatments focus on the lower back since it’s the most affected area in accident victims, but they can also attend to middle and upper back pain.
Instead of pills that affect the entire body, there are injections engineered to attack the pain-causing nerves in the back. Injections that help treat back pain from car accidents include:
- Trigger point injections
- Medical branch blocks
- Epidural steroid injections
Why You Should Seek Medical Treatment After a Car Accident
Many injuries sustained in a car accident may not be apparent for some time. Some injuries, such as internal ones, can become complicated or even fatal if not treated promptly. Because you “feel fine” after the incident does not mean you were not injured. You may disregard medical care if you do not have any scrapes, cuts, dislocations, or bruises, especially if the crash was at a low speed.
Nonetheless, a medical evaluation is required. Because of the adrenaline rush that occurs after a car accident, spinal injuries and whiplash may not be painful in the early stages. Internal bleeding and organ damage can be imperceptible. It’s a good idea to call your doctor immediately to schedule a medical examination following a motor vehicle accident.
Get Top Medical Care Following a Car Accident
If you are ever involved in a car accident, you will likely sustain an injury. Qualified medical care may mean the difference between living completely and living with a disability for the rest of one’s life.
Contact the Neurodiagnostics Medical P.C. for a thorough medical examination and treatment. Our neurologist accepts most health insurance plans, including no-fault insurance, PIP (personal injury protection), and workers’ compensation. We have ample resources and are experts at developing tailored medical care plans for our patients. Call us at 347-602-9530 to schedule an appointment.
