Following a car crash, even a minor one, you will want to see a doctor. You may not have a lot of symptoms to talk about in the immediate aftermath, because your body produces adrenaline to help you deal with the traumatic event.
Seeing a doctor directly after a car accident will help greatly with your insurance claim. However, you should remain aware of your body in the days and weeks after the collision. Many symptoms remain hidden for a while, and you will want to receive a thorough diagnosis in the event anything feels out of the ordinary.
Headaches
Many people report feeling a headache after a crash, and if it persists for several days afterward, you need to see a doctor. Chronic headaches could indicate you sustained a concussion from the crash. You may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, which can have severe symptoms, including mood problems and slurred speech, if you do not receive treatment right away.
Numbness or tingling
You may experience numbness anywhere around your body, and this is usually indicative of a pinched nerve. It could also mean you have a herniated disc in your spine. Without treatment, these complications can lead to extreme pain around the body.
Neck and shoulder pain
Many drivers experience whiplash during a collision, and this leads to extreme pain in the shoulders and neck. It often means you sustained a spinal injury, and you need to see a doctor before worse pain develops. It may take several weeks for you to become aware of the discomfort around your shoulders.
Emotional impact
It may also take some time for you to become aware of the psychological impact the car accident had on you. If you experience memory loss, sleep problems, panic attacks, personality changes or changes in appetite, then you need to see a medical professional. Therapy can help, especially if you worry you may develop post traumatic stress disorder as a result of the crash.
