While we don’t often seek medical attention when a headache arises, car accident headaches are a different story. Considered one of the most debilitating injuries, headaches can develop anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks after an accident – and can be a sign of a more serious injury.
A headache after a car accident should never be shrugged off, and you should not face the financial burden alone. Discover the root causes of your headache after an accident with this comprehensive guide, then consult one of our car accident lawyers at Hoffman Law Firm to seek compensation.
Is It Common to Have a Headache After My Car Accident?
After experiencing an incident as traumatic as a car accident, it’s not unusual for headaches to occur. Headaches can appear hours, days, weeks, or even months after your auto accident. While the stress of the accident itself can trigger a headache, it’s often a result of the force of the impact.
When your vehicle collides with another vehicle, the force can cause your head to hit other structures within your car, like the steering wheel or window. This impact between your skull and the vehicle could cause a headache in the days to follow.
Although your injuries may not be evident from the start, a later-onset headache could be the sign of a more serious head or neck injury. You need to seek medical treatment following a car accident, even if you don’t feel or see any signs of injury.
Types of Headaches After a Car Accident
Headaches can be painful and debilitating, especially after the added stress and complications of a car accident. Due to the brain’s sensitivity, your headache could be a symptom of different types of head injuries. The most common types of headaches after a car accident are as follows:
Post-Traumatic Headache
Head pain after a car accident is often called a “post-traumatic headache,” given its trauma-inducing nature. Post-traumatic headaches typically occur within hours or days of the car crash but can sometimes be delayed. Headaches may be accompanied by neck pain and soreness and can lead to changes in your sleep pattern over the coming weeks.
Concussion Headaches
A concussion occurs when the brain is forcibly shaken, leading to an impact on the inner walls of the skull. According to the American Headache Society, 95% of people with a concussion have an increased chance of developing a headache. A concussion from a car accident can result in more than just a headache. It is often accompanied by symptoms of nausea, confusion, dizziness, and light sensitivity, among others.
Fracture Headaches
In the event of a vehicular accident, the force of the impact may cause your skull or neck to fracture. Pain in a fracture headache is often felt in the back of the head or neck or centered around the injury site. Along with pain and headaches, symptoms may include loss of balance, bruising, neck stiffness, or slurred speech.
Muscle Spasm or Strain Headaches
One of the most common causes of headaches can be due to a traumatic–or non-traumatic–event. During a car accident, the sudden impact can cause the soft tissue of the neck or head to become injured or strained. Also known as tension headaches, it can become difficult and even painful to move the head or neck. Muscle strain headaches can reduce the range of motion, cause muscle tenderness and swelling, or redness.
Whiplash Headaches
The sudden impact of a collision causes forced movement of the head and neck. This sudden jerking motion can strain the neck muscles and ligaments, leading to what is referred to as a whiplash headache. In addition to a headache, you may experience pain and stiffness, dizziness, fatigue, and potential problems with memory and concentration. These types of headaches are often delayed, not showing until days or weeks after the crash.
Pinched Nerve Headaches
Pinched nerve headaches can be called by different names, from disc herniation headaches to occipital neuralgia headaches. During an auto accident, a violent jolt can cause the nerve roots in the spine to compress, disc herniation, or irritation of the occipital nerve at the base of the skull. When these nerves compress, you may experience pain, tenderness at the slightest touch, or burning or tingling sensations.
What You Should Do for a Headache After a Car Accident
If you have been involved in a car accident, there are a few steps you should take if you begin to notice the sudden onset of a headache.
Seek Medical Treatment…Even if You Don’t Feel Injured
You should never ignore a headache after a car accident. It’s so easy to “tough it out” and just turn to aspirin as a quick relief, but it may end up costing you more in the long term. A headache could be the sign of a more serious injury, and when left untreated, can lead to long-term pain or potential brain damage.
Speak with a Car Accident Attorney Near You
Headaches are some of the most common and most debilitating injuries after a car accident. Seeking compensation for this type of injury can be difficult to prove on your own – but you don’t have to. At Hoffman Law Firm, our personal injury attorneys have the time and experience in car accident cases to determine the best course of action and help you receive the best possible outcome.
Don’t “Tough It Out” with a Headache After an Accident
—Consult Hoffman Law Firm Today
The aftermath of a car accident can sometimes be as traumatic as the accident itself. Navigating the legal process and subsequent injuries can cause undue stress and pain to your physical and emotional well-being.
Our personal injury law firm understands your struggle, and we are here to help. Located in Charleston, SC, we support accident victims throughout the Palmetto State. Our personal injury lawyers here at Hoffman Law Firm have extensive experience handling a wide variety of cases.
Plus, you only pay us if we win your case.
A car accident can be traumatic, but your main focus should be on getting better. Let us fight for you. To meet with a member of our team, schedule your free consultation today.
Our personal injury law firm offers trusted legal representation right here in the Lowcountry, including these practice areas:
Car Accident
Truck Accident
Motorcycle Accident
Wrongful Death
Brain Injury
Spinal Cord Injury
View All Practice Areas
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