We’ve all been unlucky enough to suffer from a bad headache at one point in our lives. Most of the time, this means we’ve slept in an odd position or been staring at our phone for too long. But if you’ve been in a car accident recently, you may wonder if a headache is related to the unusual event. Even if it has been days or weeks since your accident, a headache can put you on high alert. But how long should you worry about headaches after a car accident? Read on to learn more.
Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident
Not all car accident injuries will be obvious immediately after the event, or even in the hours following. You may notice surface injuries like cuts or burns on the scene, but internal injuries can begin brewing beneath the surface without any symptoms immediately. Often, the shock of an accident takes time to wear off, making it difficult for your body to feel pain and any other abnormal sensations. On top of that, a traumatic event like a crash can cause the body to release adrenaline and further cover up the pain to allow you to persevere through the chaos.
But just because these effects make you feel okay does not mean there aren’t injuries you don’t know about. As you live your life after the accident, these injuries or conditions may worsen without treatment and some can even become life-threatening.
Some of the biggest risks for delayed symptoms involve abdominal injuries and potential internal bleeding and organ damage. However, headaches are also very commonly delayed and can point to a number of spinal, neck, or brain injuries. To be safe, headaches after a car accident should be understood well and taken seriously.
Common Types of Headaches and Injuries
Not all headaches after a car accident are created equal. Depending on the location, feeling, and pattern of your headache, it may indicate different injuries or conditions. While they should all be taken seriously, different types of headaches are more likely to appear at different points so it’s important to understand the variation.
Post-Traumatic Headaches: When there is trauma to the head or neck, you might experience this type of headache. They can be brought on by whiplash, concussions, spasms in the muscles, or nerve pinching at the base of the skull. Post-traumatic headaches are likely to appear days, or sometimes weeks, following the initial trauma that leads to the injury.
Post-Concussive Headaches: A concussion is an injury to the brain that is typically caused by a blow to the head or a sudden jolt to the neck. The headaches resulting from concussions often resemble migraine headaches and may include symptoms like nausea, sensitivity to light or sound, and sensitivity to smells and movement in addition to head pain. Some people will also suffer clouded thoughts, memory problems, confusion, irritability, sleep or mood problems, balance issues, and ringing in the ears.
Whiplash Headaches: Caused by a sudden movement to the head and neck, whiplash is the most common injury after a car accident and typically affects the neck and shoulders. However, whiplash can also cause headaches that form near the base of the skull, in addition to expected symptoms like pain and stiffness. Whiplash symptoms, including headaches, are likely to remain hidden for days or weeks.
Fracture Headaches: A fracture in the skull or neck bone can lead to headaches, often ones that begin at the back of the head or neck, localized near the fracture’s origin site. Brain injuries can be a danger when this occurs, and worse headaches can point to more severe fractures. Nausea, confusion, slurred speech, and a stiff neck can also occur in these cases.
Pinched Nerve Headaches: An accident can cause compression of the spine or disc herniation that leads to pinched nerve roots or irritation of nerves. When this happens, it can cause pain, tenderness, burning, and tingling sensations in the neck up the back of the head, leading to headache-like symptoms.
Treating Delayed Headaches
It is always recommended to seek treatment immediately following a car accident. This allows doctors to identify injuries before you begin experiencing symptoms so that treatment can begin sooner. Not only can this prevent headaches after a car accident, but it can stop conditions from worsening and requiring more emergent or invasive treatment.
No matter if it’s been hours or weeks since your accident, a headache should be taken seriously after a car accident. Visit our website for more information on which car accident doctor to see for your injuries.
