Unfortunately, car accidents are happening all the time. Believe it or not, 3 million people get injured in car accidents every year in the United States on average. That’s a huge number of cases, and we definitely need to be aware of the consequences that could happen.
Before we start explanations, there are a couple of things that we need to say. You need to understand how dangerous alcohol is for driving. We understand if there was a party or some special moment and you wanted to relax. Yet, when these situations happen, take a taxi or ask someone to drive you home. Why would you risk your life and the life of the other side when you can arrive home in a lot safer way?
Despite that, you need to be fully concentrated even when you are not drinking alcohol. We do not want to put you under pressure. Still, your attention needs to be at a high level while you are behind the wheels. Do not check your phone while you drive. We are mentioning this because it became the most common problem. This especially counts when we talk about younger generations.
Many drivers are not aware of the responsibility that they have. That’s why we want to want to talk about the most common injuries and how to treat them.
Let’s start.
Whiplash
When you look closer, this is probably one of the most common injuries that happen. It happens when the body is pushed into motion by a sudden force. There are a couple of symptoms of whiplash – back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, etc.
The reason for the pains that we mentioned can be due to a misalignment in your spine. It doesn’t matter if the other car was not driving fast. Even slow drives can cause force that is transferred into your body. That force pushed the ligaments in your spine out of place. Despite that, the muscles over your body probably had micro-tears. When you combine these two things, you may feel extreme pain.
There is one thing that we need to mention. It can happen that you do not feel the pain immediately. You become shocked because of the situation which leads to the adrenaline rush. The extreme pain can occur hours after the accident.
Anyway, the problem is a bit deeper than it seems, and the best possible thing would be to contact a chiropractor. If you find a true expert, he will know how to manipulate and adjust the spine into its proper alignment. Despite that, a huge number of them use massage as a treatment.
However, do not be afraid. These injuries may seem tough, but they are not dangerous. It is important to react on time.
Head and Brain Injuries
Well, this is one of the toughest injuries that could happen when a car accident occurs. In most cases, it happens because the victim hits the head on the steering wheel. Despite that, most of the cars have airbags. These things usually serve as protection, but they also can hurt people.
It is necessary to do all the necessary tests when something like this happens! Many people left this injury untreated because it seemed that everything is okay. Yet, brain injury can cause permanent damage.
So, the symptoms of the brain and head injury are different. They include headaches, nausea, and vomiting, abnormal sleeping (more than 8 hours), loss of consciousness, etc.
If you feel any of these symptoms, it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible! Do not get surprised if the symptoms do not come immediately. It can happen that you start feeling bad after 24 or 48 hours.
Cuts, Scrapes, and Open Wounds
Well, it is obvious that these injuries happen quite often. For example, it can happen if the glass of the car is broken. Despite that, other items in the car can also cause these injuries. For example, keys, mobile devices, coffee mugs, etc. Despite that, the impact of hitting your head on the steering wheel can also result in scrapes, cuts, and open wounds. Anyway, these injuries are usually minor and there is no reason to be afraid. Yet, it can also happen that they could be severe. In that case, medical treatment is necessary.
For instance, for open wounds, you need to seek medical help immediately after the incident. When the ambulance comes, tell them how you feel. The paramedics will easily realize which treatment you have if you explain how you feel. In case that injury is too severe, then you will have to go to the nearest emergency room.
Hand/Wrist
It has happened many times that the victims of the accident try to cover their faces from the harm. Despite that, they also hold the steering wheel a bit stronger because it gives them some sense of security. Because of these two things, the injuries of your hand or wrist might happen.
When we talk about hand injuries, it usually happens that the victim finishes with the broken finder(s). Besides that, the wrist itself is prone to small fractures when placed in this sort of traumatic environment.
Still, it can happen that you haven’t broken anything. Yet, if you feel that your hand or wrist hurts you a little when you want to do something, it is always better to go to a doctor. You should probably first go to an emergency room physician. Depending on the injury, he will probably send you to an orthopedic specialist.
Bonus Tip: Find the Right Doctor
Well, after we talked about the most common car accident injuries and how to treat them, the most common question comes. People are suspicious and they truly want to find the best possible doctor that will ensure them the best possible medical treatment.
The number of hospitals in Atlanta is not small. We are sure that they also have experts and good equipment. Yet, we recommend you aicaorthopedics.com and see which medical treatments they offer.
