You’ve just been in a car accident, but you feel mostly fine. Sure, you’re banged and bruised up, but anyone walking away from a car accident would be.
Car crash injuries are no joke, though. Around 2 million drivers in car accidents suffer from their injuries even years later.
Here are 5 common car crash injuries you may have without even knowing.
1. Herniated Disc
Neck and back strain is a pretty common side effect of a car accident. It’s often referred to as “whiplash”.
However, the impact of a car accident can cause something called a herniated disc. This happens when the tissue between the vertebrae of your spine are forced outward.
A herniated disc puts pressure on the nerves around your spine and can cause permanent damage down the line if not treated.
2. Bone Fractures
A collision doesn’t just put a strain on your muscles or your back. It also causes damage to your bones that form the structure of your body.
If you’re hit from the side, your arm can get pinned between your body and the door and break. Or if the damage comes from the back or the front, your arms holding the steering wheel could form fractures, even if they seem alright.
While fractures and broken bones are rarely life-threatening, you’ll want to see a doctor if you feel any pain in your limbs after an accident.
3. Shoulder Injury
Seat belts will save your life during a car collision, but they also put much of the force into your shoulder. While this saves you from getting thrown from the vehicle, it can cause different types of injuries, such as deep bruising or tears in your shoulder ligaments.
4. Knee Injury
You should also be aware of knee injuries. When a driver or passenger is thrown forward in a car collision, often their knee will strike the dashboard.
This impact can result in trauma to the knee that could shatter the knee cap at its worst. If you’re lucky, you could walk away with only a torn meniscus.
5. Head Trauma
Head trauma is no joke. Whether you get a whiplash or your head strikes something inside your car, your brain could be heavily affected.
Traumatic brain injuries aren’t always obvious right away and can look like a normal concussion at first. Just because you walk away from a road crash doesn’t mean you’re home free.
Anyone who thinks they may have a concussion should seek neurological consultation is anything major is suspected.
Minor accidents can lead to major recovery times. It’s worth keeping up with major accident news in your area to know the risks and aftermath of car accidents.
Avoid Lingering Car Crash Injuries
Whenever you’ve suffered any kind of car crash injuries, it’s best to seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Even if you think it’s just scrapes and bruises, you don’t want to end up with hidden injuries that get worse.
For more tips and how-to’s, check out some of our other articles.
