Automobile Accidents
Symptoms
After being in a car accident or a similar incident, you are often in shock and may be unaware of how you feel and of any underlying musculoskeletal concerns.
Of course any serious issues are usually quite obvious and should be dealt with immediately. Longer term issues can be masked by shock, adrenaline and the stress hormone cortisol. Due to this, it is common that injuries and symptoms may appear several days later.
Even low impact car accidents can cause tissue damage and affect our spines, as well as high impact crashes.
Whiplash is the most common type of injury which results from car accidents, but there are other forms of back and neck pain that you may experience. It is common for symptoms to begin with stiffness and aching, as the initial shock wears off. Other symptoms that can begin to appear are neck & shoulder pain, back pain, headaches, muscle spasms, dizziness and pins and needles.
The symptoms we experience, resulting from car accidents, can last from a few weeks to months or longer and become chronic problems lasting for years, if the correct treatment is not performed.
During the crash, much of the impact is transferred to us as we are thrown forward and back in a high-speed action. Modern cars are designed to prevent serious injuries during a crash; therefore, it’s actually now more common for victims to experience problems later in life from automobile accidents. This often means they don’t seek initial medical attention and the problem can become a long-term chronic condition. These issues should be addressed much sooner to correct any damage caused by the accident.
Dr Hazel Baillie will assess you, discuss your case history and treat you accordingly, to help with the pain you are experiencing.