Why Pain Sustained After an Auto Accident Is Often Delayed

Maybe you were out for a pleasure cruise, or maybe you were rushing somewhere. No matter why you were in the car, everything changes the second you get into an accident. It’s a shocking situation for everyone involved, even if no one is visibly hurt. 

You want everyone to be okay after cars collide. Still, you shouldn’t assume they’re fine just because people don’t seem hurt at the scene of the accident. Injuries from these incidents can take time to develop. 

Because he treats personal injury patients, Ike Malik, MD, has seen countless times where someone thought they were okay, but developed a problem like whiplash later. Fortunately, with expertise in pain management, Dr. Malik can help you get relief whenever your symptoms pop up. 

Visit our team at Texas Pain & Orthopedics in Pflugerville, Texas. We can treat any resulting pain and also help navigate the insurance implications of it all. 

Two major reasons why car accident pain might occur later

A lot of people are surprised to learn they could be hurt without knowing it. A couple of key factors come together in car accidents:

Adrenaline hits right away

When you get into an auto accident, the sudden trauma causes your body to release adrenaline. This hormone helps you respond to threats, but it can also mask pain. In fact, you might not realize the extent of an injury or that you’re hurt at all until your levels of adrenaline regulate. 

This can take up to an hour. That’s why it’s so important to monitor yourself closely after an accident. It’s also why we (and your insurance company) recommend that you don’t tell the other driver that you aren’t hurt at the scene of the accident. 

Inflammation takes time

If you sustained a fracture (broke a bone) during the accident, you’ll likely know right away from the severe pain. But a lot of car accident injuries affect the soft tissue. Those issues don’t tend to present immediately. 

When your soft tissue gets injured, the body uses inflammation (swelling) to help stop any bleeding. It often takes about eight hours for that swelling to start, and you might not feel the full extent of it for up to three days. 

What to do if you experience delayed pain

Between adrenaline’s pain masking and inflammation’s slow onset, you might not realize you’re hurt for days after an auto accident. Whenever you start feeling discomfort, see Dr. Malik. He can identify what’s causing your pain.

Then, he develops a treatment plan to help. That might mean physical therapy, wearing a brace, or applying targeted injection-based treatment like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or a nerve block. He and our team continue working with you until we find a treatment that alleviates your pain.

Don’t let delayed car accident pain slow you down for long. To get started with the care you need, call our office or book your appointment online today.