Car accidents are such a simple fact of American life that the average person does not think twice about a collision unless they are directly involved. Even then, most people are so focused on the resulting inconveniences that they often do not think about unexpected long-term effects on their physical and mental health.
If you are a victim of a motor vehicle accident, you should make yourself aware of unexpected impacts on your health. The truth is after your immediate wounds are bandaged, there is a real chance that you are still injured and possibly seriously. Symptoms resulting from neck, head, and chest trauma can take longer to appear but can be life-threatening.
Immediate Concerns
First and foremost, your immediate personal injuries must be your priority if you are involved in a car accident. These are usually easy to recognize, such as broken bones, deep lacerations, and other severe trauma. First responders and emergency room clinicians are well-trained to make sure your immediate personal injuries are treated.
Neck and Head Trauma
Most people know of the neck and head injuries resulting from a car crash. People in a moderate-to-severe accident may tell you about a neck injury caused by whiplash. The Mayo Clinic notes that discomfort from whiplash may last a few weeks but can linger much longer. In addition to neck pain and reduced range of motion, whiplash can result in blurred vision, a lack of concentration, and even depression.
That leads us to other cognitive issues resulting from a car crash. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and concussions are some of the most common head injuries resulting from an accident. If, after your crash, you notice sensitivity to light and noise, dizziness, or problems balancing, or if you notice that you are particularly irritable or are suffering from depression, you may have suffered TBI or a concussion. The Centers for Disease Control has an excellent guide to these serious injuries.
Chest Trauma and Myocardial Contusion
Neck and head injuries resulting from a car crash most certainly receive a great deal of attention in the media. Unfortunately, less attention is paid to unexpected health concerns arising from chest trauma. These injuries can lead to serious health issues that cannot be taken lightly.
If your accident resulted in a severe blow to your chest (perhaps from a steering wheel or an airbag), you might have suffered a myocardial contusion. According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms of a myocardial contusion can be quite serious, and compilations from this trauma can be fatal
Because of the overall lack of awareness regarding chest trauma following a motor vehicle accident, it is vital that you take some time to familiarize yourself with warning signs. Basic physical exams or other medical tests should check for broken ribs, low blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, and rapid breathing.
These symptoms can be mild, but there are some dangerous potential complications resulting from a myocardial contusion. Heart attack, myocardial ruptures, cardiac tamponade, cardiogenic shock, abnormal heart rhythm, and even sudden death have resulted from chest trauma following a car accident. Again, this information comes directly from the Cleveland Clinic.
The medical community is well aware of the risk of heart attack and stroke resulting from motor vehicle accidents, and there is an ever-growing volume of medical research relating to these injuries. In 2019, the American Journal for Epidemiology published a very important research letter that demonstrated an increased risk of heart failure after a car accident.
In this study, the researchers found that the risk of heart attack and stroke is elevated during the first 30 days after an accident as well as in the first 180 days following a crash. The researchers also found that older people have an increased risk for these medical conditions.
The issue of heart failure following a motor vehicle accident was noted as far back as 1972 in a study published by the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. In this study, the researchers noted that many who suffered from myocardial contusion did not have evidence of other serious pulmonary (aka relating to the lungs) injuries, and yet some of those people still died.
Mental Health Concerns
Lastly, if you were involved in a motor vehicle crash, you can often develop serious psychological issues, the most prevalent of which is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is an anxiety disorder that usually follows a severe and traumatic event in someone’s life. Symptoms of PTSD include but are not limited to feelings of guilt, sleeplessness, and other general anxiety.
The risk of PTSD following your accident is real and can be an ongoing concern. You should never take your mental health for granted, especially after an accident. You can discuss your physiological health with your primary care physician or seek clinical help with a phycologist or physiatrist.
Following an accident, you may experience many different and unexpected personal injuries beyond broken bones and deep lacerations. Those long-term health concerns resulting from neck and head trauma, chest trauma (myocardial contusion), or phycological injury can significantly impact your quality of life, potentially leading to heart failure or stroke.
It is wise to know all the risks so you can work more effectively with your medical team to move beyond your unexpected accident and live your life pain-free.
