The surge of stress hormones after a crash may cover some injuries for a time. A fender bender that does not result in much damage to the vehicle can still leave you with internal injuries.
If you are dealing with any of these symptoms after an accident, you may want to seek medical help.
Do you have weakness in your limbs?
A tingling or general weakness in a leg or arm may indicate something more serious. If you constantly feel like a limb is asleep, it may indicate nerve compression. While this may not seem like a big deal, it is worth getting checked by a doctor. You may have a herniated disc bulging into your spinal cord.
Do you have a bruise on your abdomen?
The seatbelt did its job and kept you from moving too far. It is normal to bruise in the areas the belt caught you. However, if that bruise, especially one on the abdomen, gets worse or turns a deep black, you may have an internal bleed. The belly is full of organs and vessels susceptible to injury and bleeds.
Is a headache something serious?
You may brush off that headache as normal after a crash. While this may prove true in some respects, in others, it does not. A headache that intensifies in the days following a car accident point to a brain injury. Even a jostling of the brain can cause it to bleed and swell. Other symptoms that may appear include:
- Nausea with or without vomiting
- Extrema exhaustion
- Mood swings
- Vision or hearing problems
You may not think that a minor crash can result in much damage to your body, but this is not the case. Getting checked after any accident may go a long way to ensuring you remain healthy.