Why Am I Having Delayed Pain After My Car Accident?

If you’re in a car accident, you would think that the pain of any injuries would set in immediately. But that’s not always the case.

When your car collides with another, your neck can experience a forceful back-and-forth movement, which can cause a whiplash injury. You can also experience other types of injuries to your body that might not show up for a while like a concussion, slipped or herniated disc, spinal injury, soft tissue injuries, and even depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you get in an automobile accident, it’s best to get medical attention. Even if you don’t feel any pain, make an appointment with our team at Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute. We have the expertise to diagnose any unforeseen issues to prevent complications in the future.

Delayed pain explained

Oddly enough, pain, symptoms, and injuries from a car accident can manifest hours, days, and even sometimes weeks after the incident. This happens for several reasons.

When you’re in a car accident, your body can experience an enormous rush of adrenaline, which can mask feelings of pain in the moment. The adrenaline surge causes you to have a self-preservation response. Then your body begins to release endorphins, which make you feel calm.

Depending on how you respond to traumatic events, the length of delayed pain can vary based on you as an individual. 

Signs to pay attention to

Even if you feel fine after a car wreck, you should monitor yourself for the following symptoms:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Numbness or tingling in your hands or arms
• Abnormal sleep patterns (too little or too much)
• Behavioral changes

If you notice any new type of pain — even if it seems unrelated to the accident — you should make an appointment right away with our team for an accurate diagnosis. We can find the root cause of your symptoms and begin a treatment plan.

Treatment options

We have numerous treatment options that are highly specialized to treat specific conditions, injuries, and pain. For example, we may use regenerative medicine to treat chronic or acute pain. Or, we might recommend medical marijuana to help reduce issues like muscle spasms, nausea, and migraines.

Other treatments include injection treatments, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation, and peripheral nerve field stimulation.

After your medical evaluation, we discuss the different ways we can treat your condition and determine the right one for you.

If you’ve been in a car wreck and have walked away with no harm, consider having a thorough medical exam as a precautionary measure. Just call the office nearest to you in Plainsboro or Manalapan Township, New Jersey, or click here today to book an appointment.