The Truth About Overlooked Injuries After Car Accidents

With the unexpected shock of a whiplash injury, car accident victims and their injuries can often times be delayed or go undiagnosed but they should never be ignored.

Buckle up and prepare for a ride through the unexpected aftermath of car accidents. No one hops into their vehicle expecting a collision, yet these incidents occur all too frequently on the roads of the Kingwood, Humble and Houston, Texas.

Picture this: thousands of Houstonians navigating their daily commutes, only to find themselves thrust into the chaos of a car accident. We all know how stressful it can be to drive in Houston traffic on I-10, I-610, I-45, Hwy 69 or Hwy 99, everyone is a rush, some driving over 90 miles per hour. While some encounters may result in mere inconveniences like minor scrapes and fender benders, others leave lasting imprints on one's life requiring emergency room visits and months of chiropractic and rehabilitative treatments.

Here's the twist: the true impact of car accident injuries isn't always immediately apparent. In the heat of the moment, shock and adrenaline can cloak serious symptoms, leaving individuals unaware of the lurking dangers within their own bodies. It's like a silent countdown until the moment these injuries make their grand entrance onto the stage of discomfort and pain. Dr. Hamel, in his Kingwood, TX office has seen thousands of car accident patients, He says many of these patients don’t feel the full effect and symptoms until 1-2 weeks after their car wreck. When looking at all of the factors contributing to a car accident, it is no wonder the body is in shock and doesn’t feel every symptom right away. Dr. Hamel looks at some key factors when a new whiplash injury patient comes in:

1. Speed of accident- speed of impact matters to some degree, we see patients that are in slower speed accidents, (30 mph or less), and they still can have significant neck and back pain. It has a lot to do with how the patient is sitting, where they are looking and did the patient see the accident coming.
2. Damage to the vehicle- many times an insurance company will totally write off the car because it is ruined. When the car is damaged that badly there is a good chance that the person driving, or anyone else in the car has injuries that should be looked at.
3. Details- did the patient hit their head on the head rest, did the air bags deploy, was there any flying objects that hit the patient after impact, (pens, glasses, phone, keys etc.). Dr. Hamel says they often see whiplash injured patients come in with bruises on their face, chest and legs from the seat belt and air bags being deployed.
4. Emergency room- did the patient have to go to the emergency room after their accident. If so did they get x-ray, CT scan, did the doctor prescribe them medicine or muscle relaxers.
5. Work status- is the patient able to go to work, to do their duties at work? Some whiplash victims are unable to physically work; these patients are really stressed says Dr. Hamel; they want to get back to work as soon as possible; they can’t afford to be off.

All of these details can impact the severity of injuries suffered from a car crash. Let us take a look at some of the late to arrive symptoms that might not show up for days, or 1-2 weeks after the car accident.

Spinal Cord injuries

Brace yourself for the common culprit known as whiplash. Despite the snug embrace of a seatbelt, the jerking motion of a collision can wreak havoc on your spinal cord, leaving you with a throbbing headache and stiffness that is brutal. The affect of whiplash injuries is harsh on the spine, whether it is a side impact or rearend impact your spine gets tossed around like it has never been tossed before. This is why we often see injuries to the nerves, spinal joints and the surrounding muscles and ligaments of the spine; it is just the nature of this injury.

Headaches

Not Just Stress-induced Dramas: Those post-accident headaches can actually be signaling a deeper issue, like a concussion. Take this symptom seriously as a concussion needs a visit to the emergency room and monitoring by a doctor.

Emotional Rollercoaster

Ah, the unseen injuries—the psychological aftermath of a collision. Anxiety, depression, PTSD—these villains can linger in the shadows, casting a shadow over one's mental well-being. Often times we may think, OK I was in a car wreck but I have to get on with my life; that can be easier said than done. Dealing with constant pain after a car crash can beat you up both mentally and physically; it really just zaps your energy says Dr. Hamel. Make sure to get plenty of rest, take care of yourself, get the chiropractic care you need to restore your health back to the way it was before the accident.

There are thousands of car accidents and whiplash injuries every day in Kingwood and in the north Houston, Texas area. Some times someone gets rearended by another car, sometimes a semi-trailer runs another car into the wall, other times a car might just hydroplane out of control and end up flipped over on the feeder road. Either way; car accident injuries are serious and you should go see a car accident chiropractor to get properly evaluated and treated.

FAQ’s

What kind of chiropractor should I be looking for in order to treatment my car accident injuries?

Answer: Dr. Hamel has been treated car wreck injuries for over 24 years; here is what he would recommend when seeking out a chiropractor to treat your injuries:

• Make sure it is a local chiropractic office-read the reviews and ask around your community who they would recommend in your city or close to it.
• Convenience is key-many car accident patients get treatment 3X per week for the first few weeks, let’s face it, you don’t want to have to drive an hour a way to go for your treatment every time.
• Get quality treatment-make sure you have the right chiropractor treating you, make sure they are answering your questions, listening to you and playing a role in your recovery. The good thing is, if you don’t like the way you are being treated by a certain doctor, then go some where else. With treatment you should be getting chiropractic adjustments, exercises and other therapies to help you recover quickly.
• Availability- make sure you can get an appointment right away; some office and doctors have waiting lists and for your car accident injuries, the last thing you want to do is wait. When a new car accident patient calls, we can usually get them in the same day or at least the next day says Dr. Hamel; we know they want to get treatment right away and get rid of their pain.