Why Pain Sustained During Auto Accidents Is Often Delayed

Did you know it’s very common to sustain an injury in a car accident without knowing it until much later? This is because pain is sometimes delayed post-accident, causing you to feel fine in the immediate aftermath. But why?

Being injured in a car accident is a far-too-common occurrence in the United States. The NSC estimates there were 5,400,000 medically consulted injuries in the US in 2021 as the result of a car accident.

But unfortunately, many people think they haven’t sustained an injury in an accident and only experience pain and other side effects much later. Why is this?

At Injury and Health Urgent Care, we understand why pain is often delayed after an auto accident, and we want to help you avoid this type of experience. Our providers — Melissa Kempf, MD and Shannon Wait, DNP, APRN, FNP-C — want to ensure your health and safety post-accident and to discover any injuries or other issues as soon as possible.

Why you might not experience pain immediately after a car accident

After a car accident, some people might not notice that something is wrong until days, weeks, or months later when pain in an injured area starts to manifest and become unbearable. Others might pass off a headache as nothing serious until they realize the headache has lasted weeks, meaning it’s likely injury-related.

But why does this happen? When you go through an accident, your body immediately prepares for a continued onslaught. Even though the accident is over, your brain floods adrenaline and dopamine into your system, which can last for 24 to 48 hours. This can mean you don’t notice something is wrong until later, possibly causing you not to connect it with the accident.

In addition, certain injuries on certain parts of your body don’t always show pain immediately. Your body might be trying to fix the damage done to it without alerting you to the problem through the experience of pain. After it fails to do so, the pain starts to develop later.

How waiting to see a doctor can cause problems post-accident

Many people who go through a car accident will avoid seeing a doctor right away, insisting they’re fine or they don’t feel any pain. But this is a mistake.

As stated above, you won’t always feel immediate pain as a symptom of an accident-related injury. This could cause you to sustain an injury that isn’t discovered right away. What’s more, injuries that go untreated for long periods of time become more difficult to treat.

In some cases, you might even miss the opportunity to be provided compensation for your injury if you wait too long to seek a diagnosis. This could put you in the position of having to pay for your treatment yourself.

What we can do to determine if you have sustained an injury

Even if you think you’re fine, it’s better to get assessed soon after a car accident. This will allow us to determine if you have been injured in any way and to treat the injury faster, which will make it easier for you to heal.

Our assessments consist of a number of tests, including discussion of the accident with a provider, X-rays, an EEG, and lab tests. These tests are painless and noninvasive, and usually, you’ll have the results in just a few days.

An assessment can help us find injuries that might not be immediately apparent such as whiplash, blood clots, brain or spinal damage, internal bleeding, and more. All of these conditions will worsen with time, and you might not notice pain immediately after an accident to alert you to their presence. That’s why we recommend an assessment, even if you feel fine.

Do you need an assessment after an accident?

It’s always safer to be assessed by a medical professional after a car accident. If you have recently been in an accident, call 210-879-3521 or visit us online to make an appointment at our San Antonio, Texas office. We’re here to help!