Visit Personal Injury Medical Services For These 3 Hidden Injuries

Sustaining even a minor impact on your vehicle can have a more significant effect on your body than you think. While you may not see or feel an injury, there may be damage beneath the surface. Even some fender benders can result in painful and long-lasting injuries if you don't receive care from personal injury doctors Houston straight away. Visit personal injury medical services for these car accident injuries that may not show signs right away.

Why Visit Personal Injury Medical Services?

A crash will not come at a convenient time. It may happen during your commute or while rushing off to a child's performance. However, when the collision is minor with little or no vehicle damage, you may want to skip formalities and continue with your day. Doing this can have negative consequences for an insurance claim and, more importantly, your health. Taking the time to visit personal injury medical services allows a medical provider the opportunity to examine you for hidden injuries that may result in painful and permanent damage.

3 Hidden Injuries That Personal Injury Medical Services Can Find

Violent crashes cause apparent damage to the body. For example, your head may strike the headliner, leaving you unconscious with a head wound. In these situations, it is likely you would be transported to the hospital from the accident scene. However, when the impact is not as forceful, your body may not exhibit signs of damage. These three injuries are common in low-impact crashes.

1. Neck Injuries

Cars don't need to collide at high speeds for the body to be damaged by the forces generated in a crash. The neck is particularly susceptible to injury in any collision. It is made up of a complex network of muscles that work to support the head and shield the cervical spine. Whiplash is the most common injury in car accidents. The effects of whiplash are sometimes not felt until hours later. Whiplash is the result of microtears in the muscles surrounding the cervical spine. The treatment often involves immobilizing the neck, alternating hot and cold packs to the area, and medication. Some cases of whiplash warrant physical therapy.

2. Brain Trauma

An impact to the head is not the only way it can be damaged in a crash. The force of the accident can cause the head to jerk and jolt violently from one side to another. This movement not only results in whiplash, but it can cause a head injury with no visible signs. If you have whiplash, personal injury medical services will want you to be examined for a brain injury.

The brain does not take up the entire skull. When the head snaps or shakes violently as it may in a car crash, the brain can move and hit the skull. Since the brain tissue is sensitive, this impact on the head may cause bruising or bleeding. Without imaging studies performed by personal injury medical services, you may have severe damage to the brain and not know it. A bleed that goes undetected may become deadly. Signs of brain trauma to watch out for include:

• A worsening headache
• Extreme exhaustion and lethargy
• Nausea and vomiting
• Blurry vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Slurring speech

A brain injury may cause irreversible damage and even death if it is not diagnosed immediately.

3. Soft Tissue Damage

The musculoskeletal system is made of bones surrounded and connected by soft tissue. Muscles, ligaments, and tendons are all soft tissue. One of the first signs of damage to soft tissue is pain. Tears and impacts can cause bleeding in the tissue. If the impact is forceful enough, the bleeding will pool under the skin, causing a bruise. After a crash, you may dismiss pain as nothing. However, if there is a bleed or tear in the muscle, you may not be able to get out of bed the next day. A medical provider can perform a cursory exam and identify any possible soft tissue damage before you have a major injury to deal with.

Even though you may think it unnecessary, a medical examination by personal injury medical services is critical after an accident. The staff at CityWide Injury stands by to conduct a thorough exam and make recommendations based on the findings. Do not get sidetracked by a hidden injury. Get the treatment you need before any underlying issues worsen.