How long have you been feeling sore after a car accident?

Millions of Americans suffer non-fatal injuries in car accidents, every year. It is important to know how long car accident soreness may last so that you know when to get help and make informed medical decisions. Shouldn’t you know when it’s time to see a doctor?

On an average, soreness after an auto accident may last for 6 weeks. Some may recover earlier, but many people go on suffering from soreness for longer periods of time.

One of the most common causes of post-accident soreness is Whiplash. The soreness and other symptoms may not show up until a day or 2 after your accident. Whiplash is a neck injury that results due to the abrupt backward and then forward movement of the head in a collision, as the vehicle comes to a sudden stop. The main symptom is soreness and pain in the neck and shoulders.

The neck pain from whiplash may take anywhere from a few days to 3 months or more to go away. If you are experiencing ongoing neck pain, soreness and other symptoms, consult a personal injury or accident doctor right away. For instance, neck pain and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) should be reported to your doctor immediately and put on record. It’ll support your injury claim too.

Here are a few factors your injury doctor will take into consideration.

Biological Factors

People experience pain differently even if they’ve been in similar car accidents. Several factors affect how long you feel soreness later.

For instance, age plays a big role in determining how much pain you experience and for how long. Older people may experience more pain and need longer to bounce back from accidents than younger people.

Your overall health at the time of the accident also plays an important role. If someone has a pre-existing back problem, they would experience more pain for longer than someone who doesn’t have any. For example, a slipped disc may hurt more when your back was already not doing so well.

Car Factors

Where you were sitting in the car also affects how the accident affects you. In a front collision, the driver will experience more soreness and injuries, especially if the airbag goes off. The closer you’re to the actual point of collision, the more soreness you’ll feel later.

If you were wearing a seatbelt, you may experience less soreness or for less longer than someone who wasn’t wearing the seatbelt.

If you’re in pain, finding a doctor who understands and has experience treating accident injuries is extremely important.

If you have suffered a work-related or personal injury, consult the best injury chiropractic and workers’ comp and personal injury doctors in Phoenix, AZ, at Arizona Injury Medical Associates at 480-347-0941 right away.

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arizonaima Joined: June 24th, 2018