Some injuries are more obvious after a car accident, like broken bones or cuts and bruises. But a car accident can also lead to headaches. If you bumped your head on the window or steering wheel then you might have a bump and experience headache pain for a little while. You might not think this is anything to fuss over, but actually, headaches after a car accident shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are a number of reasons why you might have a headache after a car accident, and a chiropractor in Snellville can help you determine the root cause of your pain so you can start experiencing lasting relief.
Why Headaches Are Common After a Car Accident
In addition to bumping your head and that causing a headache, there are many common occurrences during a car accident that can lead to headaches. What first seems like a small bump on your head and a mild headache may turn into more pain and discomfort in the hours after the accident. Hitting your head during a car accident is actually one of the common causes of a concussion from a wreck. This can lead to constant headaches and other uncomfortable symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision, confusion, and even trouble with balance and memory.
Headaches after a car accident are often a sign of something more going on, like a whiplash injury or spinal injury. When you experience headaches, you should pay attention to any other potential symptoms you might have, like pain and discomfort in certain parts of your body, stiffness, soreness, and even numbness and tingling. Car accident chiropractors in Snellville are highly skilled at determining what is causing your headaches and providing natural, therapeutic approaches to reduce your discomfort.
5 Types of Headaches After a Car Accident
General Headache
A general headache after a car accident might simply be a sign of slight pain and discomfort that follows a low-impact wreck, like a small fender-bender. Car accidents are stressful experiences and can get your adrenaline pumping, which can actually mask other symptoms and keep you from fully realizing what has happened. Car accidents can also be shocking and scary, and the shock and trauma can also lead to a general headache that starts to go away once you have a chance to get to a safe place where you can relax.
Tension Headache
Certain types of car accident injuries can affect your muscles and lead to stiffness, soreness, and muscle pain. Tension headaches are commonly associated with musculoskeletal injuries and may develop after you strain or sprain muscles during a car accident. Many people describe a tension headache as pain that feels like a tight band around your forehead and temples. Alleviating stiff, sore muscles can also help to reduce pain from tension headaches.
Migraine Headache
Migraines are a more serious type of headache that are typically accompanied by other uncomfortable symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to sounds and bright lights. If you develop a migraine after a car accident, it can cause pain that can be debilitating and affect your ability to go about your day. Migraine headaches can feel like a severe pain behind your eyes or at the back of your head and can last for hours and be incredibly painful and uncomfortable.
Cluster Headaches
Some people develop cluster headaches after a car accident. Cluster headaches are multiple headaches that occur in short bursts one after another for days or weeks at a time. These headaches can become chronic and you might feel a pounding in your head for a short period of time and then a period of relief before it starts up again.
Whiplash Headache
Whiplash is the most common car accident injury because of how the head and neck are so easily shaken up after a strong impact with another vehicle. While your seat belt helps restrain your upper body, there isn’t anything to keep your head and neck from getting jostled around. This can strain your neck muscles and damage the vertebrae in your spine, leading to whiplash headaches.
No matter what type of headache you are experiencing, you should always get checked out by a car accident doctor after you’ve been in a wreck. Your chiropractor in Snellville can help determine what is causing your headaches and treat the root cause as well as your symptoms so you experience lasting pain relief.