When it comes to injuries after a car accident, one of the first signs that something is wrong might be a headache. Headaches are common after any type of stressful situation, including a car accident. However, headaches can also be a sign of something more serious going on internally that you would want to get checked out by a car accident doctor sooner rather than later. If you start to experience headaches in the hours or days after a car accident, be sure to note when they started occurring, how long they lasted, and the level of intensity or discomfort. Headaches can be a sign of a more serious car accident injury or a side effect of the trauma and damage to your body. Visit a chiropractor in College Park after a car accident and find out what type of headache you are experiencing and whether you have suffered an injury.
The following are 4 examples of how you might experience a headache after a car accident:
Concussion Headaches
Unfortunately, it is possible to suffer a concussion due to a car accident. The stress of the accident and shock of what has happened may keep you from recognizing the full extent of your injuries. You might also think that the slight bump on your head is just a nuisance and will go away on its own. However, a blow to the head that occurs in a collision between vehicles can come with enough force to cause a traumatic brain injury like a concussion. In addition to a bump on your head, you might also experience concussion headaches as one of your first signs and symptoms that something is wrong. A concussion headache can also be accompanied by other symptoms of a concussion, like dizziness, confusion, sensitivity to light and sound, and even ringing in your ears. Visit a car accident doctor as soon as possible if you are concerned you may have suffered a head injury like a concussion from a car accident.
Whiplash Headaches
With whiplash being the number one car accident injury, you might find it surprising to learn that the symptoms do not always show up right away. In fact, you might not even realize the full extent of an injury like whiplash until days after the accident. The shock of the experience combined with adrenaline can cause certain whiplash symptoms to be delayed, so the first sign that something is wrong may be a whiplash headache. Sometimes starting in the base of the skull and radiating outward, whiplash headaches can occur alongside other symptoms like a sore, stiff neck and pain when turning your head from side to side. When your vehicle collides with another, it can cause your head and neck to get flung violently forward and backward, stretching and straining your neck muscles uncomfortably. This pain can also contribute to the reason for a whiplash headache to occur.
Tension Headaches
Tension headaches are common with any type of car accident injury that causes muscle strains and spasms. The head, neck, and upper back are often more susceptible to injury depending on the specific type of car accident, like a surprise fender-bender. You don’t have to experience severe trauma to your head or neck in order to get tension headaches. In fact, these can occur alongside symptoms of soreness, stiffness, pain with certain movements, and reduced range of motion in certain areas. You may also notice tenderness, redness, and even swelling in the affected area. Tension headaches can sometimes be a response to a simpler injury or as a sign and symptom of something else going on.
Cluster Headaches
Some people develop cluster headaches after a stressful experience like a car accident. Whether due to the emotional or physical stress of being involved in a wreck, cluster headaches can accompany other symptoms of a car accident injury. Cluster headaches are a series of headaches that can occur like short bursts with a few minutes or hours in between for a brief period of relief. If you notice cluster headaches for the first time after a car accident, you may have suffered a misalignment in your spine that a chiropractor can help resolve.
Chiropractic Treatment for Headaches
You don’t need to suffer from prolonged headache pain after a car accident. Visit a chiropractor in Jonesboro at AICA Orthopedics to get an expert diagnosis and treatment plan for your headaches after a car accident.