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Hand and Wrist Injuries Due to a Car Accident

Common injuries associated with a car accident are soft tissue injuries and whiplash. However, you may not realize that your hands and wrists are also the body parts that may get affected in the crash, and you need an auto injury doctor to check them.

Following an auto accident, you may experience pain and discomfort in your arms. Without immediate treatment, the injuries may diminish your ability to perform even minor tasks.

If you have been in a car accident, the first thing to remember is to visit an auto injury doctor.

“The severity of your hand or wrist injuries depends on many factors.”

Ways You May Injure Your Hands and Wrists

Seconds before the crash, or during the collision, most people brace their hands onto the ceiling or sides of the car. The intense pressure you exert can cause severe damage to your bones, ligaments, and tendons.

A woman driving a car

If you tightly grip the steering wheel, hands and wrists get caught in the wheel when it spins during the impact. Injuries happen in spite of the efficient steering columns designed to absorb energy from the crash.

In case you throw your hands up at the moment of impact, your outstretched hands are highly susceptible to intense forces. As a result, your arms may crash into the dashboard, airbag, window, or other interior parts of the vehicle. 

A distal radius fracture happens when the forearm breaks near the wrist. It is one of the most common car crash injuries, which you can get treated by a car accident doctor in Houston.

“Blunt force trauma may cause severe pain and swelling.”

Symptoms of Hand and Wrist Injuries from Car Accidents

Person's hand wrapped in bandages - auto accident injury

Without proper treatment in time, you may not be able to attend to even simple daily tasks.

The condition may worsen and result in wrist deformities and long-term complications. Moreover, there may also be delayed symptoms of the car crash.

If you notice some or all of the symptoms mentioned below, you need medical treatment:

  • Discoloration
  • Bruising or swelling
  • Pain or numbness
  • Inability to flex your fingers
  • Difficulty in straightening your wrists

Diagnosis and Treatment

Auto injury doctors get an X-ray of the fractured hands and wrists. They also detect unknown issues based on these reports. They create personalized treatment plans, including physical therapy and rehabilitation.

A doctor checking a patient's hand to detect injury from auto accident

These injuries are prevalent in auto accidents. But, even the slightest negligence in getting them treated can worsen your quality of life.

For this reason, consult a car accident chiropractor without delay. Personal injury doctors in Houston give the needed treatment immediately.

“Even if you sustain minor injuries, seek medical care right away.”

Common Types of Hand and Wrist Injuries

Fractures

Bones get crushed often occur when hands or wrists hit the car parts due to the blunt force trauma of the crash. A broken wrist or scaphoid fracture occurs when the small bone in the wrist gets fractured in the collision.

Sprained Wrists

Sprained wrists are grade one injuries because they are the least severe. Ligaments located between the bones in the wrist get forcefully stretched, bent, or hyperextended, but not torn.

Tendon Injuries

Tendons in the wrist experience inflammation during the collision. It is a condition called tendonitis that results in mild to severe wrist pain.

Joint Dislocations

A dislocated joint is significantly painful and can cause permanent damage if the treatment gets delayed.

A car accident doctor in Houston can accurately assess the extent of your injuries and properly treat them the right way.

Ligament Injuries

A person wrapping bandage on their hand due to auto accident injury

Ligaments connecting the bones can get damaged in an auto accident. Partially torn ligaments are grade two injuries that impact the arm and wrist movements.

Completely torn ligaments are grade three injuries that often accompany a joint fracture.

Personal injury doctors in Houston diagnose the torn ligaments and recommend suitable treatment. 

Puncture Wounds and Amputations

In the event of a severe car wreck, broken interior or debris may cause puncture wounds. On the other hand, catastrophic accidents may cause amputations in the fingers or hands.

Do You Need an Auto Injury Doctor in Houston? Call City Wide Injury & Accident Today!

City Wide in Houston offers the best chiropractic treatment for car accident victims. Our expert team of specialists can help our patients recover in no time. Call us today at 713-782-0082 or contact online to schedule an appointment.

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Hand and Wrist Pain Due to a Car Accident | City Wide Injury & Accident – Houston, TX