Being involved in a car accident can be a very traumatic experience. Even worse is the aftermath of the accident. Because of the adrenaline rush at the time of the accident, you may not feel the pain immediately. But after some time, you will start feeling pain all over. It is advisable to seek medical attention even when you don’t feel any pain.
Headaches are common complaints after a car accident and can come from a number of sources. Some people may be experiencing persistent headaches even before a car accident. Such people will find the headache even more painful after an accident. Some people will not feel headaches (until a couple of hours, days or even weeks for some) after the car crash.
Many factors can cause you to feel throbbing headaches after a car accident. It is therefore extremely important that you visit a doctor after a car accident. A doctor will help you identify the specific cause of your headache and commence to offer the recommended treatment to ease the pain.
What causes headaches after a car accident?
Because of the random nature of car accident, you may be injured in several different placed in your body, which may lead to chronic and excruciating headache. Some causes of headaches cannot be found immediately and will require a thorough examination by a specialized doctor to identify the cause.
The primary causes include:
• Impact on your head or other parts of the body.
• Whiplash
How bad your headache will depend on the magnitude of the impact and the overall intensity of the accident.
Types of Post-Accident Headaches and Their Symptoms
Post-Traumatic headache – this form of headache is usually caused by head and neck trauma after a car accident and other traumatic incidents. Cervicogenic (neck-bone), post-concussive muscle contraction/spasm, pinching of the upper neck area, nerve roots are all symptoms of post-traumatic headaches. Such headaches will occur some days or even weeks after the accident.
Muscle-Contraction Headaches – also referred to as spasm, is one of the most common causes of headaches after a car crash. This one occurs when the head or upper back are hit. It occurs when the soft tissue is torn or damaged by accident’s impact, causing strain or spasm in the muscle. This may lead to immobility, sensitivity at the affected spot and may also have some redness or swelling.
Whiplash – This is a common injury caused by a sudden impact on the head and neck from a motor vehicle collision. Here, the head is sometimes pushed far and back, and this jerking motion can strain the soft tissue. Whiplash headaches are commonly located at the base of the skull and can be followed by neck pain or stiffness, dizziness or tiredness. Such a headache will become persistent a few days or sometimes weeks after the accident.
Headache due to fracture – A broken skull or bone on the neck can cause severe headaches. You will feel the pain mostly on the back of the head and neck or at the point of injury. A fracturedd bone can be a cause of persistent headaches; if not treated in time, it can lead to brain damage. How bad the symptoms are will depend on the nature of the fracture. Patients will also be nauseated, confused, and they will exhibit a stiff neck.
Pinched Nerve headache – also referred to as occipital Neuralgia headache. After an accident, compression of spine or disc herniation can cause the neck root to pinch or the entire occipital nerve to irritate at the base of the skull. If the nerves are pulled together, a patient will feel discomfort, tenderness, burning sensation, and tingling from the back of the skull. This will be seen physically by its tender touch.
Why you need to see a doctor immediately after a car accident
After a road accident, whether its minor or major accident, you will experience at least one of the types of headaches mentioned above. Ignoring minor aches can turn fatal when you discover later that you had some internal injury. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
It is a common occurrence to experience headache several days or even weeks after an accident. Headaches can also signify that there could be some other injuries beside the ones that are visible. Therefore, it is important to get a thorough examination after an accident to establish the extent of the injury.
Finding a specialized car accident doctor who has extensive training and experience in assessing the cause of your headache and the nature of the injury from the accident will help you to relieve the pain and reduce the risk of developing chronic illness. If a minor headache is left untreated, you run the risk of causing more harm to vital parts of your body.