Motor Vehicle Accidents

Car crashes are scary. Regardless if it’s a light fender bender or a high-impact event on the highway, they can leave you feeling hurt and nervous. Even if you don’t feel pain immediately,  the effects of what a motor vehicle accident has on your body could leave you with short-term or even chronic pain. This is why it’s important to see a pain management specialist who can address any feelings of pain with the goal to treat the pain now and before it gets any worse. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is equipped to help accident victims get back on their feet as soon and as comfortably as possible. 

How Common are Motor Vehicle Accidents?

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, motor vehicle crashes are a public health concern as it is a leading cause of death in the United States. In 2020 more than 110 people were killed in crashes every day, and there were more than 2.1 million emergency department visits for injuries from motor vehicle crashes. While no one intends to get into a possibly highly damaging or deadly crash, there is a good chance that you or someone you know will experience a crash in their lifetime. 

Even though most cars are equipped with seatbelts, airbags and other safety devices, car crashes can leave the driver and passengers with injuries. While some injuries can be quickly resolved after the event with at-home care methods, there are some injuries that require medical attention both to treat the injury now and hopefully keep it from getting worse in the future.

What are the Most Common Car Crash Injuries?

There are many different types of motor vehicle injuries that can occur, but they result in the following three main categories of injuries: 

1. Impact injuries: when the person in the car hits anything in the car itself or is thrown from the car and hits the ground
2. Penetrating injuries: when something in the car hits the passenger
3. Hidden injuries: injuries that appear days or even months after the accident

Motor vehicle crash injuries can cause damage to the head, neck and back, shoulders, chest, knee, arms and legs, spine and soft tissue. It is recommended that accident victims seek medical attention following a car crash, even if there is only slight discomfort felt. 

One of the most common injuries associated with car crashes is whiplash. This occurs when the head and neck are whipped past their standard range of motion, which causes damage to the muscles, ligaments and tendons. Whiplash can result in soft tissue injuries and pain in the neck and shoulders, as well as can be felt in the mid back and low back due to the stress placed on the spine. The effects of whiplash can be felt immediately, and can worsen over time if not appropriately and professionally treated. In addition to pain, whiplash can result in the following conditions: 

• Irritability
• Memory loss
• Nausea
• Poor balance and coordination
• Headache 
• Lightheadedness

Additional injuries that could result from a motor vehicle accident include: 

• Broken or fractured bones
• Strained muscles
• Head injuries
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Cuts
• Spinal cord injury, including slipped disc or herniated disc
• Psychological injuries, including personality changes, mood swings, irritability, anxiety, depression, memory problems and/or mobility issues
• Vision or hearing difficulties due to injuries in the neck, head or spine
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Abdominal pain and swelling
• Loss of feeling in arms and hands

Some of these injuries and pains could take several days or weeks to show up, and could be the sign of a bigger issue, and one that could lead to long-term disability if not properly and quickly treated. 

What are the Treatments for Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries?

Treatment for motor vehicle accident injuries depend upon both the type of injury and how bad the particular injury is. Due to the stressful situation of an accident, your body goes into flight-or-fight mode, producing adrenaline and cortisol to help protect the body against perceived danger. This can effectively mask the person’s ability to recognize pain immediately after the accident. Seeing a trained pain management specialist after an accident is crucial to ensuring there is no large break, tear or sprain now, or that could develop into a larger issue causing chronic pain in the future. 

In addition to medically treating broken bones and cuts, common treatment options include: 

• Rest: giving the body time to heal itself for the day or two after the accident will help to reduce the effects of the traumatic event. However, resting for too long will lead to soreness, stiffness and possible range of motion issues, so if you have been cleared by your medical professional, enjoy light exercise. 
• Medication: prescribed pain medication that is taken as directed can help to reduce inflammation and pain
• Hot/cold treatments: alternating between heat and ice can help to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness
• Chiropractic help: putting the body’s bones back into alignment helps to relieve the pain from whiplash, as well as aches in the neck and shoulder
• Acupuncture: this is a great option for both relieving symptoms of pain but also helping to reduce the psychological disorders caused by the accident, including stress, anxiety and depression
• Physical therapy: in addition to at-home methods and pain medications, physical therapy is a great option for treating muscle, ligament and tendon soreness
• Diagnostic blocks: if the aforementioned treatment options haven’t helped to relieve pain, a medial branch block can be used as a tool for both treatment the believed source of pain, or determining the actual source of pain so it can be treated
• Radiofrequency ablation: if the patient does experience pain relief from a medial branch block, radiofrequency ablation is a great tool for providing long term relief by ablating the nerves that are sending pain signals to the brain 

Car crashes can be a life-altering event. On top of dealing with the immediate problems with your car, your health, your finances, etc., there is always the option for problems to arise weeks or even months after the event. This is why it’s important to place your trust in a team of dedicated pain management specialists who can not only take the very best care of you today, but also help to avoid any issues down the road. If you’ve been in a car accident, please reach out to the California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas and schedule an appointment today.