In a car accident, an endless number of injuries can occur, and some can be more common than others. Because of the way cars are built and the design of modern roads, they are bound to get in accidents and it’s unpredictable to say how the impact of an accident may cause specific injuries. Car accidents occur more often than we can imagine and it’s best to be ready for one and have perfect knowledge for the situation that’s likely to occur.
Only in the US state of Georgia, millions of people get involved in accidents every year, let alone the whole country. Car accidents can occur due to many reasons, ignorance and neglect being the main ones, but if you drive a car, you should be aware of what injuries can be caused due to a traffic collision.
Everybody should know about these 5 common injuries and how to treat them for a quick recovery.
1. Whiplash
One of the injuries most associated with car accidents is whiplash. It occurs due to the sudden momentum of the head and neck in rear-ended accidents. When the approaching vehicle hits your vehicle, your body moves (momentarily) with the speed of the vehicle and experiences a sudden jerk at an impulse, causing it to go forwards and then backward or vice versa. It might tear and strain the muscles in the neck. Whiplash normally heals after some time. However, it can be very painful due to its lasting effect, and if not treated properly, can have suppressed pain for the lifetime.
Treatment
The pain from whiplash may go away after about 6 weeks and inflammation dies down. The treatments for whiplash are relatively simple. Doctors will oftentimes prescribe pain medication like Tylenol and Aspirin. More severe injuries may require prescription painkillers and muscle relaxants to reduce muscle contraction. Additionally, physical therapy will also play a crucial role in recovery. An effective massage therapist can be very helpful in the healing process and muscle relaxation. Use a neck brace or collar for extra support, if recommended by the doctor. And don’t just go to any doctor, if you’ve been in a car accident in Marietta; visit a clinic for whiplash care in Marietta, Georgia.
2. Broken Bones
A car accident almost always follows with unusual amounts of pressure on the body and bones which are not immune to such brutal force. Arms, legs, wrists, hips, and shoulders are most common to be broken in car accidents due to the force of the collision. In several cases, these bones are broken after being flattened by parts of the car.
Ribs are fragile bones that often break with even little or more impact. When the car is hit, your body may move forward, sideways, or backward against a seatbelt due to inertia, which can break one or more bones in the rib cage.
Treatment
Broken bones can be healed by vitamin D and calcium, and doctors might provide some supplements for bone health. For broken bones and fractures, a cast or fiberglass immobilizer will be applied as it heals faster and is the best treatment for the fracture.
Surgery might be needed for internal fractures or broken bones in a rib cage. Applying ice to the affected site results in the reduction of swelling. It is also effective in reducing pain.
3. Traumatic Head Injuries
Just like with other parts of your body, your head can also suffer from head-related injuries and your brain can also be pushed inside of your skull enough to cause an injury. When not treated with extensive care, your injuries to the brain can give rise to other severe and long-term issues with brain neuron functions. Many victims experience sleeping troubles like insomnia and sleep apnea, headaches, or problems related to memory and concentration.
Head injuries cause trauma and basic brain functions may render useless. Symptoms of head injuries may not appear at first, but you can have mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) without even realizing it.
You may lose consciousness without knowing and your cognitive functions may be impaired.
Treatment
After having traumatic head injuries a person might have a concussion and mild nausea. These symptoms don’t require any special treatment but can be solved through some rest and over-the-counter pain relievers. A victim of this injury can also be sent out for immediate assistance with a medical supervisor and given proper treatment. A mild head injury patient does not require any specific treatment and might be better off with some painkillers and rest, but a person with a mild traumatic brain injury usually needs to be monitored closely at home for any worsening that may or may not happen or new symptoms. He/ she may also have daily doctor appointments.
4. Chemical Burns
Chemical burns may not sound like a common car accident injury, but vehicles have a good amount of caustic fluid and fuel that might leak after the impact. Spills of any kind are dangerous in a car accident as they cause major fires and are difficult to exhaust even with conventional fire extinguishers. In a car accident, fuel leakage may ignite the fire and cause serious burns which, being very painful, may stay over a person’s lifetime.
One major reason for chemical burns in automobile accidents is deployed airbags. When an airbag opens, it releases a spray of sodium hydroxide, which can burn the skin.
Treatment
The first step is to provide first aid to the patient and make sure that the pain is not severe. The next step is to treat chemical burns by removing as much of the caustic substance and chemicals as possible. Solid chemicals may be brushed off before flushing the area of impact with the water. All contaminated clothes should be removed, and the wounded area should be irrigated with copious amounts of cold water.
5. Back Pain
Back injuries are a common result of rear-ended car accidents because the back absorbs much force and pressure from a collision. It can cause lower and upper body pain which may last a couple of weeks but can be solved by resting. Lumbar spine sprains and strains are other common injuries resulting from the back impact on the body. Sprains and strains can also lead to other pains like muscle tightening and spasms. Back pains can affect lifestyle as it results in an inability to perform daily tasks without pain and cause discomfort. One of the most common symptoms is bulging and herniated discs, which may also compress a person’s spine.
Treatment
When someone has been in a car accident, he/she should seek medical help for care and treatment of back pain and should identify symptoms, no matter how minor the accident is, you should definitely visit a Marietta car accident clinicfor possible treatment. Rest is vital for the healing of your back injury. Taking time off of work and making sure you’re not sitting at a desk or on your feet all day can help in reducing back pain. Stretching muscles and flexible exercise trains the body to lose some pain and heal faster. Ice and heat are really helpful to reduce back pain.