Blog Post

Car accidents are a terrible thing to endure, and worse to try to get through physically and emotionally. As recently as 2022, statistics show there are as many as 6 million accidents annually, with 2.3 million people injured on average.

But if you’re in a car accident and walk away feeling nothing, it doesn’t mean you haven’t been injured. 

A medical checkup after an accident is necessary to ensure your safety and get the help you need, so let’s review the common accidents people deal with, which of them may start out asymptomatic (showing no signs), and how we can help.

At Houston Medical ER, we’re dedicated to serving the needs of patients from our facilities in Houston and Spring, Texas, areas for immediate care, including addressing the physical aftermath of auto accidents.

Common injuries after an accident

Here are some injuries that are common in auto accidents with varying degrees of severity: 

• Bruising (soft tissue injuries)
• Burns and scars
• Bone fractures
• Neck injuries (e.g., whiplash)
• Back injuries
• Brain trauma
• Internal bleeding

Problems without immediate signs

Some injuries are obvious, such as broken bones that deform a body part or that show through the skin. Blood, lacerations, and an inability to move parts of the body are all obvious signs of injuries. But there are many ways you can be hurt and not know it right away, such as:

Delayed symptoms

Not all soft-tissue injuries are evident at the impact site, or even days after. Events as violent to the body as auto collisions trigger the formation of adrenaline and endorphins to help you cope by relieving stress and, in some cases, easing immediate pain. 

As a result, you may not feel pain nor be aware that you are injured until well after the accident. Even mild fractures can be hard to detect initially if you don’t get medical imaging. Not knowing you’re injured, you could cause further damage.

Psychological trauma

In addition to the direct effect an auto accident can have on your brain, the psychological impact can also be long-lasting. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was coined to initially describe what soldiers go through after violent conflicts, but it can happen to anyone dealing with severe psychological trauma. 

You can relive the accident repeatedly and avoid anything that reminds you of the trauma if the incident is bad enough.

How we can help

To help you recover from the physical impact of an accident, we are equipped to help you mend from the related sprains, strains, fractures, crush injuries, neck and back pain, joint issues, open wounds, and whiplash. 

Services to support you through this include wound care, physical therapy, medications, bracing, splints, breathing treatments, IV therapy, and surgery if necessary.

If you’re managing legal issues during this recovery time, we also accept letters of protection (LOPs) to ease financial woes. 

Accidents are terrible to go through, but if you’re injured, we’re here to help. Visit our team at Houston Medical ER today so we can assess your injuries after an accident and get you the treatment you need.