After being involved in an accident, you may expect to experience a good deal of pain and discomfort right away. However, this is not always the case: Some injuries do not hurt immediately after an accident. Depending on the circumstances, this can make dealing with the aftermath of an accident even more challenging.
It is worth noting that there are many factors that can influence the way your body responds to an injury. The severity of your injury, type of impact, type of car you were in and other aspects all can have an effect on how quickly you feel the impact.
Adrenaline
When you are in an accident, one of the first things that your body does is produce an increase in adrenaline. These hormones cause vasoconstriction, which is a decrease in blood flow to certain parts of your body. This can lead to a lack of pain sensation in the short term. If you experience a significant delay in your pain sensation, you may not even realize that you have an injury until later.
Symptoms
Because many injury symptoms do not come on right away, you have to know what to look out for in the days following a car accident. Back pain may indicate fractures, herniated discs and other issues. If you feel stiffness or pain in your neck, you could have experienced whiplash. Abdominal pain or swelling bruises can be a sign of internal bleeding.
Even if you do not feel any pain after a car accident, you should make an appointment to see a medical professional. By being diligent and getting help right away, you may have a smoother recovery.