After you experience a car accident, you may be ready to put the incident behind you and to get on with your life. You might even feel fine and pass on going to the doctor, but this isn’t always a good idea. There are certain signs that you should never ignore after a car accident, as failure to get timely medical treatment could lead to major health issues.
Headache
Headaches may present immediately after a car accident or may take several hours or even days to appear. Regardless of when a headache begins, it is important to get medical attention as soon as possible in order to evaluate for potential problems. Even a seemingly minor car accident can result in a traumatic brain injury or post-concussion syndrome. Although they might be delayed, a person my experience any of the following symptoms:
- A general aching pain in the head that is pervasive and dull
- Tenderness in the shoulders, neck, and scalp
- A feeling of tightness or pressure through the rear, sides, or front of the head
Memory Problems
Post-concussion syndrome can lead to a variety of problems with mental processes, and these are often referred to as cognitive symptoms. In addition to difficulty with remembering things, an accident survivor may have attention and concentration problems, delayed reaction times, problems with learning new things, and difficulty with reasoning problems and processing information. Post-concussion syndrome develops after a person suffers from a concussion, so if any of these symptoms are noticed, patients should seek medical treatment immediately.
Blurred Vision
Experiencing blurred vision after a car accident may indicate a variety of things, from a concussion to a more serious brain injury. Since swelling of the brain may not occur right away, warning signs of these conditions, like blurred vision, may also be delayed. Injury to the brain’s optic nerve can result in blurred vision, and without treatment, patients may experience other problems, including issues with controlling movements, comprehending written word, and concentrating.
Visit your chiropractor after a car accident to avoid chronic pain in a long run.