Call Now5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Ignore Fender Bender Pain
Fender benders may involve just a slight impact, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t seek medical treatment after a minor accident. After exchanging insurance information, it is important to call your doctor to ensure that you don’t have any injuries.
While cuts, bruises, and maybe a sprained ankle are obvious, internal injuries aren’t. Many common injuries are sustained after a car accident that shouldn’t be ignored.
Here are the top five reasons from Impact Med Wesley Chapel why you shouldn’t ignore pain after a fender bender.
Whiplash
You can experience whiplash even during a minor car accident. The unexpected jolt of two cars colliding can jerk or twist your neck and body causing soft tissue damage. Whiplash is a neck sprain that occurs when your neck “whips” backward and forward.
Whiplash can be quite serious. And the most common symptoms include:
- Neck or shoulder pain
- Muscle spasms
- Headache
- Stiff Neck
- Numbness
- Limited neck motion
If you notice any of these symptoms after a fender bender, seek medical treatment immediately.
Delayed-Onset Injuries
Most injuries and symptoms will manifest immediately after an accident, but some may take several days or even weeks to show symptoms. These are referred to as delayed-onset injuries, which are often due to your body protecting you from trauma and pain.
After an accident, even a minor one, you may have adrenaline coursing through your body which can mask injuries and pain. This can delay your body’s initial reaction to the accident and the injuries that come with it. Delayed injuries can be serious especially if left undiagnosed. Therefore, it is especially important to visit your doctor even if you feel no pain or symptoms of injury.
Seat Belts Can Cause Internal Trauma
Though seat belts can save your life in a car crash, you can wind up with a myriad of injuries to your spine and supporting soft tissues. The pressure from the seat belt when your body is thrown against the belt can also injure your lungs, heart, kidneys, and other organs.
Small Injuries Can Add Up
Many small injuries can occur to your spine, soft tissues, and organs during an accident that can end up causing a substantial amount of pain over time. If you ignore the signs of injury after a fender bender, you risk re-injuring yourself and possibly causing permanent damage.
Even if you don’t notice any signs of injury following a fender bender or minor accident, you may notice subtle changes a few days or weeks later. These changes could be signs of internal injury. Contact Impact Med Wesley Chapel if you experience any of the following after an accident, no matter how minor:
- Shortness of breath
- Abdominal pain
- Weakness or numbness in limbs
- Stiff muscles
- Sore or stiff neck/back
- Confusion
- Dizziness
- Vision problems
- Urinary problems or bleeding
Behavioral Changes
If you notice any behavioral changes following a car accident, you may have sustained an invisible, yet dangerous injury—a concussion. Concussions can lead to personality and behavioral changes and are often accompanied by vision, hearing, and memory issues.
Brain injury and concussions can occur even in a minor fender bender, so it is important to seek medical care, even if you feel “fine” following an accident.
Fender Bender? Seek Medical Care at Impact Med Wesley Chapel
If you have been involved in a fender bender, call our team of doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists at Impact Med Wesley Chapel as soon as possible. We can treat whiplash and other car accident injuries and will make sure that you don’t have any delayed onset injuries if you don’t currently have pain or symptoms of injury.
Don’t delay. Seek medical attention after a fender bender asap! Call Impact Med Wesley Chapel to schedule an appointment today—813-953-1002!