Car accidents are quite common in the United States. In fact, there are around 6.5 million car crashes in the U.S., and 2.7 million of these crashes result in injuries, with 36,000 of these being fatal. That’s why national guidelines on road safety are being updated to include stricter policies.
Some car accident injuries fade in a couple of weeks, while others may take years to subside or may stay for the rest of your life. If you’ve ever wondered what injuries you may experience in a car accident, you’ve come to the right place.
Common Car Accident Injuries
The severity of the damage you may receive from a car accident depends on how grave the collision is or what area of your body was injured. There are all sorts of body injuries that can occur in a car accident, and below are some of them.
Whiplash
When your ligaments, tendon, or muscle gets injured, it’s called whiplash. This is one of the less serious injuries that can happen to you but is otherwise quite common. The sudden jolt of your body overstretches the muscles and causes strain. Since only soft tissues get damaged, and your bones are safe, whiplash tends to fade after 2 months or less.
Dental Fractures
Your teeth are quite fragile, and they often get damaged, especially when you suddenly press on the brake, and your head hits the driving wheel. While many other reasons may cause dental fractures or damage, repairing them is quite complicated. You need to make sure that the dental office has the most advanced orthodontics appliances when you get treatment for this injury to make sure your teeth get restored.
Scrapes and Cuts
Other common injuries you may receive from a car accident are scrapes and cuts. This is often caused by your body’s parts hitting certain parts of the vehicle or loose projectiles like a broken window or metal. These can be quite painful, and you need to make sure that it’s treated immediately as this can cause infections in your body.
Broken Bones
While whiplash or muscle strain do not pose too much danger to your musculoskeletal system, the bones are another concern. Bones, especially your ribs, are fragile too, and the force delivered by severe car accidents can easily break them. Although some broken bones heal with regular treatment, other bone damages require surgery and the installation of platinum or metal plates to support your body’s structure.
Internal Bleeding
Minor accidents may not require you to visit the hospital. However, you need to be familiar with the symptoms of internal bleeding because some injuries may not manifest as a wound or cut. Internal bleeding is extremely dangerous and can lead to life-threatening injuries. Ensure that you consult a doctor immediately if you get into a mild accident, even if you do not see any physical damage.
Herniated Disc
Perhaps one of the most painful injuries you can suffer from a car accident is a herniated disc. Sometimes, your bones do not break from impact, but the vertebrae in your spine tend to shift out of place or get ruptured. Aside from being extremely painful, a herniated disc may cause damage to your central nervous system, and getting professional help as soon as possible is essential.
Knee Trauma
The sudden collision between your car and another may cause your knees to hit the dashboard or bend the other way, especially on a head-on collision. This may damage the ligaments in your knees or fracture your kneecap. Some patients with knee trauma require crutches or braces to heal, while severe accidents often involve surgery and therapy.
Head Injuries
Your head is another fragile part of your body, and it’s also the most important. Car accidents can sometimes cause head injuries, especially if the driver or passenger isn’t wearing a seatbelt or the dashboard’s airbags failed to open. Because of this, brain injuries become a common occurrence. These often involve long-term effects, and diagnosis and treatment of them are extremely difficult.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Not all damages caused by car accidents manifest physically. Some of them are experienced mentally and emotionally. One of the most common of these is post-traumatic stress disorder. This often occurs after witnessing a severe and traumatic accident. Common symptoms include nightmares, disturbing thoughts, and the inability to focus on one thing. Getting psychological treatment for this is vital in going back to your proper functioning.
Many people suffer from various injuries after a car accident, and some of these injuries are rather difficult to heal. For your and other people’s safety, always follow the road safety guidelines provided by the government.
