Have you been in a car accident? There are a variety of injuries that people experience following a car accident. Headaches are a common injury in car accident victims. Unfortunately, the severity of the headache isn’t determined by how severe the car accident was. It is therefore not uncommon for victims to write off headaches they suffer to other causes.
Car accidents and headaches
Car accidents can result in a variety of injuries. Injuries that result in direct blows to the head are likely to cause post-traumatic headaches. Post-traumatic headaches can also occur when accident victims experience whiplash (violent whipping of the head back and forth) in a rear-end collision.
Post-traumatic headaches caused by whiplash are the result of irritation and inflammation of the nerves, tendons and muscles around the neck. In these cases, the pain is first felt around the neck. It then moves up to the head. Headaches are painful and can be unbearable. They can last from 30 minutes to several hours.
Types of headaches suffered after car accidents
- Vascular These headaches occur as a result of poor circulation of cerebral fluid. This abnormal or poor circulation can last for months and is common in whiplash injuries.
- Analgesic rebound These are the result of the overuse of medication that has been prescribed to deal with the pain of whiplash. They can also be a direct side effect of the medication.
- Migraines These commonly accompany whiplash injuries. Accident victims often start experiencing these headaches a few days or even hours following the injury.
- Sympathetic nerve dysfunction These headaches occur when the cervical nerve trunk is damaged.
Why headaches shouldn’t be ignored
It isn’t uncommon for victims of car accidents to ignore headaches that occur after the accident. They then suffer even more serious problems down the line. This is because headaches occurring after accidents are often a sign of an even more serious problem on the inside. Headaches could be indication of a closed type head injury that may not be apparent from the outside.
It is therefore advisable to seek medical attention as soon as possible after the accident. This is true even if you think the headaches are mild or go away a few days after the accident.
What are your legal rights?
Injuries that occur in car accidents are different. While headaches may seem like an invisible injury, they are often a sign of a closed head injury. It is important to seek both medical treatment and the assistance of a personal injury attorney as soon as possible to help you get compensation for your injuries.