If you get into a minor fender bender, you might be surprised when a police officer asks if you need medical attention or if an ambulance arrives at the scene. However, even minor fender benders can cause surprising injuries that should be addressed by a medical professional as soon as possible. Whether you are a driver or a passenger during a minor fender bender, you want to keep an eye out for any lingering physical effects in the hours and days afterward. The shock and stress of being in a car accident can keep you from experiencing pain right away, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. The sooner you can get checked out by a healthcare provider, the sooner you can get started on any needed neck pain treatment for your car accident injury.
3 Surprisingly Common Injuries from a Minor Fender Bender
When you collide with another vehicle at a low rate of speed, you might not expect anyone to suffer car accident injuries. Properly wearing seat belts can help you and others in the vehicle avoid any car accident injuries but cannot prevent any injuries from occurring altogether. A general rule of thumb when it comes to car accidents is that if your car has suffered any physical damage, then it is likely that your body has too. Here are three examples of surprisingly common car injuries you can experience from a minor fender bender:
Whiplash
Many people associate whiplash with accidents that occur at a higher rate of speed and cause the body to get jostled around violently. A minor fender bender at less than 25 miles per hour can also put a significant amount of force on your head and neck upon collision, which can lead to whiplash. When the force of impact occurs, your head and neck may snap forward and backward quickly and violently, causing the muscles in your neck to stretch and strain out of their normal range of motion. Your neck muscles can become strained and may even tear due to the strong force from the sudden impact, even at lower rates of speed. Whiplash can also cause headaches, neck pain, and stiff, sore muscles.
Herniated Disc
You might be surprised to learn that a herniated disc can occur due to a minor fender bender. The force of impact between two vehicles can put a lot of stress on your head and neck. It is also possible to suffer a disc herniation alongside a car accident injury like whiplash. Too much pressure on the spine can cause the spinal discs that separate the vertebrae in your spine to bulge or rupture. When the soft center spills out of the harder shell of the spinal disc, it can put pressure on nearby nerve endings along the spine. A herniated disc can cause neurological symptoms like pain, tingling, and numbness in your neck, shoulders, and upper back.
Spinal Misalignment
When you collide with another vehicle, you will likely get shaken up and jostled around a bit. If you were able to anticipate the accident, then you may have even tensed up your muscles as a reflex to protect yourself. Car accident injuries tend to put a lot of pressure on the spine, which can end up shifting vertebrae out of their normal positioning. Even a car crash that occurs at a slow speed can cause a misalignment in your spine. When a vertebra is misaligned, it can disrupt the healthy functioning of your central nervous system and even cause pain symptoms like tingling and numbness.
Treatment for Surprisingly Common Car Accident Injuries
The best way to fully recover from car accident injuries is to visit a doctor right away. Car accident doctors work with common injuries like whiplash, herniated discs, and spinal misalignments every day. If you are in need of neck pain treatment for an injury after a recent minor fender bender, then you want to find a team of caring and competent car accident doctors who can help. At AICA Orthopedics in Snellville, our team of car accident doctors includes orthopedic doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, neurologists, and more who can help you recover from your car accident injuries safely and effectively.