31 Mar Why It is Essential to Seek Medical Care After an Auto-Accident Even if You Feel Alright
It takes a blink of an eye or just a fraction of a second to lose concentration and for an auto-accident to occur. That single moment can haunt you for the rest of your life. Of course, not all auto-accidents are serious at first glance but even a minor accident can lead to a lifetime of pain and discomfort through experiencing neck spasms or having back pain. It is therefore important to seek medical advice as soon as possible even if you are feeling unharmed.
Common auto-accident injuries which are serious but not always noticed immediately include:
- Neck injuries i.e. whiplash
- Head trauma
- Internal bleeding
- Neck spasms
- Back spasms
There is also the legal side to an accident through not seeking immediate medical attention. Nearly all claims for future compensation will look at how much of the fault lay with the actual victim. By ignoring any minor pains, you could well be making the situation worse and causing permanent damage which might affect any compensation payout.
Even a minor concussion should be looked at. Anything, where the brain has been shaken in the skull, can lead to bleeding in the brain and even worse. Not all these things are visible straight away. In fact, it is common for a person with head trauma to ignore mild concussion and any slight headaches, only later to deteriorate and require emergency care.
The most common type of injury caused by auto-accidents is neck spasms along with back pain. It is very easy to walk away from any traumatic event thinking that you simply have a sore neck and were very lucky. This can, however, be a big mistake as neck injuries can lead to a lifetime of pain if it is not looked at very quickly.
Also known as whiplash injuries, the head springs forward from impact causing a transference of energy down the spinal column. This is often worse when the victim does not have time to brace themselves and this occurs in vehicle accidents when hit from behind.
A muscle spasm is the body’s way of protecting an injured zone by reducing mobility. This helps you to avoid injuring yourself more or placing more stress on the damaged area. The main problem comes from when the swelling starts to ease, as this can then reveal other damage such as a degeneration of the muscles which in turn, weakens the whole area. These events can lead to further complications often many months after the initial event. This is another reason why you should get medical attention no matter how minor the incident felt.
Any kind of neck injury probably means there is some swelling of tiny tears in the muscle tissue are almost certain to be present. If ignored these tears will naturally repair themselves but can in the process cause scar tissue that can cause even more discomfort. Scar tissue can easily place pressure on nerves causing pain and suddenly, you have acute or chronic pain.
Apart from the legality and serious conditions such as unnoticed brain bleeds, it is essential to seek medical advice as soon as possible, because a host of what appears at first to be minor problems like neck and back spasms can go on to become a lifetime of pain and discomfort but, also, if you have been given the all-clear after examination, you will have peace of mind.
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