When to Visit a Doctor After a Car Accident

Each year in the United States, three million people are injured in car accidents, and a whopping two million suffer permanent injuries. While many injuries are readily apparent immediately after the accident, some reveal themselves more slowly, and by the time they’re discovered, permanent damage may have already set in.

At Advanced Spine Care and Pain Management, our team of musculoskeletal specialists understands the many ways that a car accident can affect you physically — from neck problems to issues in your lower back that can plague you for years to come. 

To avoid these problems, here are some very sound reasons for seeking medical help after a car accident.

The heat of the moment

Car accidents happen in the blink of an eye, and the rush of adrenaline that your body produces is a survival mechanism that’s designed to protect you. One of the effects that adrenaline can have is masking an injury by suppressing your pain so that you can still act quickly.

As a result, many people feel fine immediately after a car accident, only to realize hours or days later that there was more damage than they initially thought.

A brewing problem in your neck

In addition to the masking effect of adrenaline, many car accident injuries take some time to develop. A prime example of this is whiplash, which occurs when your head is thrown back and forth, which can lead to damage in your:

• Cervical spine
• Cervical discs
• Ligaments
• Muscles
• Nerves

In most cases, the signs of whiplash develop within the first 24 hours, which typically manifests as neck pain or stiffness. There are, however, enough cases where symptoms develop days, weeks, months, and even years later, so we prefer to err on the side of caution. 

If you’ve been rear-ended and your head was whipped backward and forward, it’s always a good idea to have us check you out, even if we’re just ruling out any damage. 

Beyond the neck

While whiplash is one of the most common injuries in a car accident, it’s far from the only injury one can incur. When you’re in an accident, your entire body is vulnerable to injury, and some of these injuries may not be obvious.

As examples, the following medical problems may take some time to reveal themselves:

• Soft tissue tears in your knees
• Damage to your spine
• Traumatic brain injury 
• Shoulder issues due to the seatbelt

Here again, we urge you to seek our help at the first signs of discomfort anywhere in your body. Our offices are equipped with the latest diagnostic technology, and we can quickly identify any problems that may be developing and intervene quickly to prevent more damage.

A team in your corner

If you’ve been in an accident, our priority is to ensure that you get the medical help you need. Once we’ve accomplished this, we’re still with you if you need to file a personal injury claim or a disability claim. Our team has considerable experience in these areas, and we make sure you have all the information you need.

The bottom line is that if you’ve been in a car accident, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by seeking our medical counsel. To get started, simply contact one of our two locations in Staten Island or Hartsdale, New York.