Why Pain Sustained from an Auto Accident Is Often Delayed

Car accidents occur like a bolt from the blue. This unexpected jolt often causes our bodies to mask painful symptoms by producing feel-good chemicals. It may be hours or even days before you experience the full extent of the impact.

At Apollo Chiropractic in Manhattan, our compassionate team, led by experienced chiropractor Andrew Dube, DC, offers help for injuries sustained during an automobile accident.

Why pain is delayed

Your body protects itself in various ways, besides producing adrenaline, to mask pain from a traumatic experience, such as a car accident. These include:

Muscle tightening

Your muscles contract to protect you from pain. This may cause soreness once they begin to relax.

Inflammation

An inflammatory response from your accident occurs slowly, delaying signs of discomfort.

Soft tissues

Injuries due to whiplash may cause pain as your tissues grow more inflamed.

Nerve pain

When nerves are damaged or compressed during an accident, subsequent swelling may delay the soreness.

The shock of a car accident may postpone painful feelings, both physical and psychological. Dr. Dube and our caring team offer various physical therapies to lessen your suffering.

Whiplash and delayed pain

Whiplash remains one of the most common delayed injuries following an auto accident. Resulting from the rapid back-and-forth movement of your neck during a car accident, it damages nerves, tissues, and vertebrae along your spine, producing neck pain and stiffness.

This discomfort might last hours, days, or even weeks following an accident. It also causes:

• Back pain that worsens when you move
• Dizziness
• Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
• Ongoing headaches

Less obvious whiplash symptoms, such as blurred vision, tinnitus, and memory problems, may also occur.

Other common accident-related injuries

It’s crucial to seek help following any crash to keep minor injuries from turning into major problems. These include:

Concussion

Your brain moves within your skull during a car crash, which may result in headaches, nausea, dizziness, loss of balance, and other detrimental issues.

Spinal injury

Back pain and stiffness, muscle spasms, numbness, and tingling all point to possible damage to your vertebrae, spinal discs, and/or connective soft tissues in your spine.

Slipped or herniated disc

When the inner fluid of your spinal disc moves against the outside, the disc may bulge into the spinal canal. If your spinal fluid leaks into the spinal canal through a tear, a herniated disc occurs. Both require prompt attention.

Dr. Dube offers help for both immediate and delayed injuries from a car crash and more.

Relief for delayed pain

Dr. Dube provides therapy for injuries from accidents and beyond, utilizing his years of experience in:

• Personalized physical therapy to restore mobility and alleviate pain
• Manual chiropractic adjustments that realign your neck, shoulders, lower back, and legs 
• Passive joint mobilization to gently move your joints to ease pain and enhance flexibility
• Myofascial release that relaxes tight trigger points, known as fascia, within connective tissue surrounding your muscles and other areas

Whether you experience pain right after an accident or days later, you need to monitor yourself. If you feel symptoms of whiplash, back pain, or other issues, we’re here to help.

Don’t delay

If you’ve sustained an injury from an auto accident or other source, don’t wait until it becomes worse. Dr. Dube and our outstanding team offer a variety of treatments to help ease your pain. Just call one of our New York City offices or schedule an appointment with Apollo Chiropractic today.