A car accident often occurs when you least expect it; you might be driving down a familiar Arizona road when you’re suddenly struck by another vehicle. Even if you feel fine, certain injuries can remain hidden for several hours or days. These are some of those common injuries.
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most serious injuries people can sustain in motor vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, they aren’t always immediately apparent. Normally, after such a traumatic incident, your body is pumping adrenaline at high speed, so you can feel a burst of energy. If you’ve suffered a TBI, it can take time before your symptoms begin to manifest. These might include headache, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, disorientation and nausea. TBIs should warrant seeking prompt medical care.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a soft tissue injury that affects the soft tissues in the neck. When you’re in a car accident, your head and neck may jerk violently forward and back or from one side to the other. It can take several hours and up to several days before you start to feel the effects of this injury. You may feel sore and stiff and experience a limited range of motion.
Internal injuries
Internal injuries and internal bleeding are often severe and should be considered medical emergencies. You may not realize you’ve suffered at first, but after a few days, you can begin to notice bruising, pain, shortness of breath and bleeding during bowel movements. Once you experience these signs, you may need surgery because internal injuries signify that you might have serious damage to internal organs.
Your body has a natural protective measure that kicks in when it experiences trauma. This is a big reason why you might not immediately feel injured.