As more people take to the roads during the holiday season, it’s no surprise that car accidents also increase this time of year. While most know that any kind of motor vehicle accident can result in catastrophic injuries and fatalities, many side effects of these life-changing events are frequently not discussed.
What Can Happen to Your Body After a Car Accident?
Car accidents are known to result in injuries from broken bones to whiplash, but did you also know that dozens of other conditions can be developed from this one incident? Injuries sustained in an accident can have serious long-term implications if you don’t know whether to seek treatment for them.Physical Injuries
Getting into a car accident always comes with the possibility of hitting your head. Whether this is from not wearing a seatbelt or hitting your head on the window, severe brain trauma can occur. However, several other physical ailments can come from being in a car crash, including:- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs): these can occur in any kind of car accident where a driver or passenger has hit their head. Mild forms of TBIs can include concussions, whereas more severe cases can result in memory loss, skull fractures, and internal bleeding.
- Arthritis: a form of osteoarthritis called “post-traumatic arthritis” is common after car accidents. It also accounts for 12% of osteoarthritis cases in the joints of the legs.
- Vertigo: a common reason for experiencing vertigo and car sickness long-term after a car accident has to do with the severity of a TBI or concussion. These symptoms can be associated with “traumatic Ménière syndrome”, in which these signs might not even show up for months, or even years, after an accident.
Mental Health Issues
While traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) certainly come with their own risk of aiding in mental disorder development down the line, there are other less talked about conditions that come with simply being in an accident, including:- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): this is one of the most common mental health issues that someone can develop after an accident. In fact, the American Psychological Association has done numerous studies concluding that car accidents are the number one cause of PTSD in the general population.
- Depression and Anxiety: even if there are no physical injuries or fatalities from an accident, the mere act of being involved in one can greatly affect your mental health. Depression and anxiety are unfortunately common and can trigger multiple physical symptoms like nausea, muscle tension, and migraines. It can also make it more stressful to get behind the wheel in the future.
- Development of Phobias: while this isn’t the case for everyone, many people do develop a fear of driving or riding in a car after being involved in an accident. Fortunately, though, this is one that is likely to subside most quickly.