Car accidents are fairly common in the United States. In fact, 20-50 million people suffer from non-fatal injuries as a result of car accidents every year alone. And, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that Americans spend more than one million days a year in the hospital recovering from auto accident injuries.
The team at Beeson Wellness Center is here to cover all of your health care needs. Because car accidents are one of the most common causes of injury, we’ve compiled this helpful guide on the five most common types of car accident injuries.
1. Spinal cord injuries
One of the most common types of injuries you can sustain in a car accident is a spinal cord injury. This happens when you sustain damage to your upper or lower back.
This kind of damage can be particularly dangerous because your spinal cord transmits nerve signals and controls many of your bodily functions, like walking and going to the bathroom.
2. Head injuries
Concussions are particularly common with car accidents, which is why it’s important that you see a doctor as soon as you can after your crash, since symptoms of a concussion can sometimes take days to show up.
Some common symptoms of concussion include dizziness, headaches, neck pain, and trouble concentrating. And, leaving a concussion untreated can even result in death, so it’s important to get it treated as soon as possible.
3. Neck injuries
Of the 6 million car accidents that occur every year in the US, 1.7 million are rear-end collisions, which commonly result in whiplash. Whiplash happens with the forward pulling forward then rapidly pushing back motion that occurs when you’ve been in a rear-end collision.
This rapid motion causes soft-tissue damage to your neck, resulting in a sprain or strain on your neck. With whiplash, you’ll experience symptoms like pain and stiffness in your neck, chest, shoulders, and arms. Many people experience neurological symptoms as well, like headaches, dizziness, and blurred vision.
4. Torso injuries
A seatbelt will definitely save your life in a crash, and it’s always better to wear one. Still, you can sustain an injury from your seatbelt if you’ve been in a crash. These injuries usually affect your chest, ribs, and shoulders. These symptoms can also show up much later.
5. PTSD
Automobile accidents aren’t just physically traumatic, they can have detrimental effects on your mental health as well. You may have PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, for days or even weeks following your accident.
It may make it difficult for you to drive or to even get into your car again if you have PTSD after your accident. Luckily, PTSD can successfully be treated with therapy, and we can always write you a referral.
If you’ve been in a car accident, it’s better to get checked by the medical professionals at Beeson Wellness Center sooner rather than later. To schedule an appointment with Beeson Wellness Center, call our office located in Portland, Oregon.
