Car accidents only take a moment to deal considerable amounts of damage to your car and your passengers. If you thought you were fortunate enough to be able to walk away from your accident without any injuries, you might be wrong. Every year, about three million people receive an injury in a car accident. With millions of injuries occurring every year, it is more than possible that the injury you received from your accident is an unseen one. Unseen wounds can come in many different forms. Here are four different kinds of unseen injuries that may have come from your accident:
Neck and spine injuries
The spinal column is a very delicate tower of bone and nerve. Even a small displacement of one vertebra can be enough to cause considerable nerve damage and even result in loss of bodily function. Some of these injuries can take days or longer to develop and even appear to be an unrelated injury. Joint injuries
Knees, shoulders, hips, and elbows are all highly used areas of the body. Because of their sensitive nature, it can be easy to mistake any pain or tenderness in these areas as a temporary consequence of your accident. Traumatic brain injuries
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be fatal in a matter of minutes to hours, or it can have lifelong consequences. A TBI’s consequences can result in temporary or permanent memory issues, drastic emotional changes, and partial or total paralysis. While these significant consequences are developing, the only symptoms may be minor signs like headaches, dizziness, or nausea and vomiting. Emotional trauma
Some injuries do not appear on an X-Ray or MRI scan at all. The emotional trauma that develops in the victim of a car accident can manifest as a fear of driving or even being in a car, fear of going outside at all, or extreme depression or anxiety. Look after yourself
If you have suffered in a car accident and believe you have experienced the good fortune of not receiving an injury, do not take your health for granted. Consult with a doctor to look over your condition after the accident and verify whether you have suffered any hidden injuries after your accident.