Jesse Slater, D.C., LMT
Dr. Jesse Slater, DC LMT | Hawthorn Healing Arts
A car accident can happen in seconds, but the effects on your body may take much longer to reveal themselves. One of the most common things we hear after an accident is:
“I felt fine at first, but a few days later my neck and back started hurting.”
So, why does that happen?
Your Body Doesn’t Always Follow the Same Timeline as the Accident
During a collision, your body experiences rapid acceleration and deceleration forces. Even when vehicle damage appears relatively minor, the head, neck, torso, and extremities can move suddenly in response to those forces.
From a slightly nerdy perspective, your tissues don’t all respond to force in the same way. Muscles, ligaments, joints, and other soft tissues each have different mechanical properties and may respond differently to sudden loading. Your body may also react by increasing muscle tension or “guarding” around an injured or irritated area.
On top of that, your body’s immediate stress response can influence what you feel right after an accident. Adrenaline and other stress-related responses may temporarily affect your perception of pain, meaning soreness, stiffness, and other symptoms may become more noticeable after the initial shock has worn off.
Over the following hours or days, you may begin to notice:
- Neck pain or stiffness
- Headaches
- Upper back or shoulder tension
- Low-back pain
- Muscle soreness
- Reduced range of motion
- Pain with certain movements
- Tingling or numbness
Every accident—and every body—is different, so symptoms should always be considered in the context of the individual.
Step 1: Know When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention
After any accident, safety comes first. Seek emergency medical attention for serious symptoms such as loss of consciousness, confusion, difficulty breathing, significant weakness, new difficulty walking, severe or rapidly worsening headache, or other concerning symptoms. When in doubt, it is better to be evaluated promptly.
Step 2: Don’t Assume “No Pain” Means “No Injury”
Pain is important, but it isn’t the only thing healthcare providers evaluate. After an accident, an evaluation may include looking at factors such as range of motion, muscle tone, tenderness, joint function, neurological symptoms, and how your symptoms are affecting your everyday activities.
For example, you may initially notice that turning your head feels restricted before significant pain develops. Someone else may feel relatively normal immediately after an accident, only to wake up the next morning with substantial stiffness and muscle soreness. This is one reason it can be helpful to pay attention to changes in your body during the first several days after an accident.
Step 3: Get an Appropriate Evaluation
An appropriate evaluation can help determine what may be contributing to your symptoms and whether additional testing, imaging, referral, or conservative care is appropriate. Depending on the findings, care may focus on several areas:
Joints: Sudden forces can affect how comfortably and efficiently joints move. Evaluating joint mobility and function can help identify areas that may need attention.
Muscles and Soft Tissues: Muscles may become painful, tight, or guarded following a sudden force. Soft-tissue therapies, including massage when appropriate, may be incorporated into an individualized treatment plan.
Movement: Pain and guarding can change the way we move. Gradually restoring appropriate mobility, strength, and function can be an important part of recovery.
The Nervous System: Symptoms such as numbness, tingling, weakness, or radiating pain deserve careful evaluation and may indicate the need for additional testing or referral.
The goal isn’t simply to “chase the pain.” A thorough approach looks at how the accident may be affecting your overall ability to move and function.
Step 4: Pay Attention to Your Symptoms Over Time
During the first few days after an accident, consider keeping track of:
- When symptoms first appeared
- Whether they are improving or worsening
- What movements make symptoms better or worse
- Whether pain travels into an arm or leg
- Any numbness, tingling, or weakness
- Changes in sleep
- Difficulty working or performing normal daily activities
These details can provide useful information during an evaluation and throughout your recovery.
The Bottom Line
You don’t have to panic after every car accident—but you also shouldn’t automatically assume that feeling okay immediately afterward means nothing happened. Your body may have experienced forces far outside of normal daily movement. Symptoms such as pain, stiffness, headaches, muscle soreness, or reduced mobility can sometimes become more noticeable in the hours or days following an accident.
Pay attention to changes in how your body feels and functions, and seek an appropriate evaluation when needed. The goal is to better understand what’s going on, address injuries appropriately, and help guide your recovery.
Have You Recently Been in a Car Accident?
If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident and are experiencing neck or back pain, stiffness, headaches, muscle soreness, or changes in mobility, we’re here to help. At Hawthorn Healing Arts Center, we take a comprehensive approach to musculoskeletal care. As both a Doctor of Chiropractic and Licensed Massage Therapist, Jesse Slater, DC, LMT, evaluates how an injury may be affecting not just where you feel pain, but also your joints, muscles, soft tissues, movement, and overall function.
Whether you’re experiencing symptoms immediately after an accident or noticing changes in the days that follow, an appropriate evaluation can help determine your next steps and what type of care may be right for you. To make an appointment with Dr. Slater call 541-330-0334 or feel free to use our online appointment form.