When you have been in a car accident, you may not know what to do. Being dazed and confused after a traumatic experience is an entirely normal reaction to have. Once you have spoken to the police and composed yourself a bit, you are left with a major decision to make. Even though you are able to walk and talk following the accident, the police and emergency services will ask you if you would like to be taken to the hospital for tests and evaluation, or if you are injured in any way. To help determine whether or not you should go to the doctor or hospital following your car accident, keep the following factors in mind:
You Could Still Be In Shock
There are different types of shock that can occur following a car accident. The first is a response in which the endorphins and adrenaline that surge through your body when trauma occurs prevent you from being able to feel the extent of any injuries you sustained.
These hormones and chemicals help the body to remain functioning when trauma or injury occurs and is the primary component of the "fight or flight" response. As such, you may not feel the extent of your injuries until a day or two later when the effects of these body chemicals wear off. You may go home without medical care thinking you are fine, and wake up with severe pain.
You Could Go Into Medical Shock
Medical shock on the other hand, is a life-threatening condition. Medical shock affects your circulatory system often resulting in dangerously low blood pressure. This can be the result of internal bleeding, external bleeding, or other severe injuries whether visible or invisible.
Internal bleeding is not always noticeable immediately following an accident but can become very serious quickly. If you know the impact caused a collision between your body and a hard surface in the car, heading to the emergency room for assistance and tests will help to determine whether you have internal bleeding and/or are going into medical shock.
Your Head Injury Could Be More Than You Bargained For
A bump on the head can seem like no big deal to you when it occurs. After all, your skull is a tough, thick surface that is designed to protect your brain from such occurrences.
However, even a seemingly minor bump on the head can result in a concussion, brain bleed, or can rupture an aneurysm. If you bumped your head, even if it isn't bleeding or showing visible bruising, you should definitely go to the hospital. A CT scan will help to determine whether or not your head trauma resulted in any internal brain injuries and you will feel safer knowing that you do not have to worry about internal bleeding or the like.
When you have been in a car accident, you may be tempted to forgo medical care. However, if you have sustained any injuries (no matter how minor they seem), it is best to get checked out by a physician rather than wait and suffer from more severe effects later on. So, take care of yourself and your health after your car accident.
To learn more, try contacting a company like Kinston Medical Specialists PA with any questions you have.
Share29 January 2015
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