Got In an Auto Accident? Here's Why You Need to See a Doctor Right Away

Auto accidents are shocking, frightening, and physically jarring — whether it’s a small fender-bender or something more serious. And when you find yourself in the aftermath of an accident, the most important thing to focus on is your health.

Even if you walk away feeling physically fine, your body’s adrenaline and stress response can mask pain and injury. That’s why it’s so important to get a medical evaluation right away.

Our team at Memorial Springs ER provides around-the-clock urgent care in Spring, Texas, and we’re trained to identify and treat the most common auto accident injuries. Here’s what you need to know.

Most common types of auto accident injuries

Here are a few ways that motor vehicle accidents can injure people:

Whiplash and spinal injuries

Sudden stops or rear-end collisions can jerk your head forward and backward. The snapping back-and-forth can strain or tear muscles, ligaments, or discs in your neck and cause whiplash. Pain, stiffness, or headaches from whiplash and other neck injuries often show up slowly.

During an accident, your spine can absorb force in ways that cause herniated discs, compression, or misalignments. These injuries can lead to pain, numbness, or tingling later on, and it’s not always easy to pinpoint the cause once time has passed.

Soft tissue injuries

Depending on the type of accident you experience, it’s possible to overstretch or tear other muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your body, like your shoulder or wrist. These injuries may manifest as swelling, stiffness, or pain once the initial shock wears off.

Concussion or head injury

Even without hitting your head directly, sudden jolts can shake your brain inside your skull and cause mild traumatic brain injury, like a concussion. Symptoms like headache, dizziness, memory problems, and visual disturbances may appear in the hours or days following the incident.

Internal injuries

Trauma from the impact — like seatbelt pressure or impact to your torso — can damage internal organs or cause internal bleeding. While severe cases may be immediately obvious, mild-to-moderate injuries can develop symptoms hours or days after the crash.

Why you might feel fine at first

It’s common to leave the scene of an auto accident feeling physically okay, but you shouldn’t assume it means you walked away without any injuries. There are several reasons why symptoms don’t always appear immediately, and recognizing these is the first step to getting the timely care you need.

Car accidents cause adrenaline rushes, and when that happens, your body floods with stress hormones that dull pain and mask injury. In addition, inflammation often takes time to develop, so swelling, pain, and stiffness from soft tissue injuries may build up hours or days later.

And, sometimes, injuries affecting internal organs or nerve pathways don’t cause obvious signs until damage progresses or swelling builds. All this means that waiting to see symptoms before seeking care can allow injuries to worsen or heal improperly.

What to do if you’re involved in an auto accident

If you’ve been in an auto accident, taking prompt action gives you the best chance at a full recovery, even if you feel fine right now. Here’s what we recommend.

Start by getting checked out by a medical provider as soon as you can. Our clinic offers specialized urgent care for auto accident injuries that’s designed for early diagnosis and treatment.

While you’re here, communicate everything you feel, even small things like discomfort, stiffness, dizziness, numbness, headaches, or changes in how your body feels. All of it matters, so keep track of when symptoms start or worsen.

We provide fast evaluations with diagnostics like imaging or specialist assessment, as needed, to uncover hidden injuries. Then, we give you a personalized treatment plan focused on your current condition and future mobility.

Remember that some injuries can show up later. If pain or symptoms appear days after the accident, don’t dismiss them. A follow-up visit can catch issues like disc herniation, nerve compression, or internal injuries early.

Whether you need rest, pain management, imaging, physical therapy, or other treatment, we’re here to guide you toward healing. It’s tempting to brush off discomfort after a car crash, especially if things seem fine at first. But physical symptoms that show up later are often more serious than they appear.

Getting checked soon after an accident gives you a chance to protect your long-term health and avoid complications down the road, and we’re here to make it as convenient and comprehensive as possible. Call us at 346-899-6737, or book an appointment online to let us know you’re coming in.