In 2019 alone, 4.5 million injuries in car accidents required medical attention, costing an estimated $463 billion. On top of that, 2019 saw 36,096 deaths from motor vehicle injuries, and 2020 saw about 38,680. As you can see in the previous figures, luckily, injury is much more common than death. But while millions of injuries occur every year, some are much more common than others.
Take a closer look at the most common types of injuries people sustain from car accidents, as well as the various ways that specialists can help treat those injuries.
Back injuries are easily among the most common type caused by car accidents. This is also one of the types of injuries that may take a few days to show up. They can potentially cause severe long-term consequences.
It is widespread to break or fracture bones during a car crash. Some of the more commonly broken bones include wrists, ankles, arms, ribs, and legs. Some of the breaks are simple enough to fix with a cast. Others require orthopedic surgery to repair. Many will also need physical therapy to help them regain strength and function.
It is widespread to break or fracture bones during a car crash. Some of the more commonly broken bones include wrists, ankles, arms, ribs, and legs. Some of the breaks are simple enough to fix with a cast. Others require orthopedic surgery to repair. Many will also need physical therapy to help them regain strength and function.
Although some can be more severe, bruises are typically among the more mild injuries that people get from car accidents.
Burns are a possible result of some car accidents. They are prevalent if a car catches on fire following the crash. But they can also occur without a fire, as long as the skin comes into contact with a hot surface, hot fluid, chemical, or steam. In the case of severe burns, you may even need skin grafting or other surgery.
Chest injuries are widespread for the driver because of how they impact the steering wheel in a crash.
Concussions can occur when you hit your head during a car accident. They can lead to memory problems, and without proper treatment, they can worsen and lead to severe injuries.
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) happen if your brain becomes damaged from a piercing injury or strong blow. TBIs can be incredibly dangerous, potentially causing death or long-term disability.
You may also experience less severe head injuries, such as cuts, crapes, and bruising.
Various body parts can be crushed between two objects during a crash. The severity of this injury can vary greatly, from minor cuts and bruises to severe muscle, bone, organ, and tissue damage.
Cuts can occur during a car accident from broken glass on the windows or windshield. You can also be cut while impacting with any hard surface, like a car seat, airbag, or dashboard. These can be minor enough that a bandage is enough treatment or severe enough to require stitches.
Depending on the force of the collision and whether flying objects were involved in the crash, internal damage to the organs is also possible. This is a severe injury that typically requires emergency surgery.
Many people bang their knees against a surface in the car, such as the back of a seat or the dashboard, due to the impact of a car accident. Knee injuries can include minor bruises, multiple fractures, and a torn meniscus (cartilage), among others.
In some cases, the injuries to a limb from a car accident will be severe enough to require amputation.
Neck injuries can include whiplash, severe injury to the discs in the neck, and even cervical dislocation.
Road rash refers to abrasion on your skin from getting dragged over concrete or pavement. It can also occur over other surfaces and is another potential injury from a car accident.
During a crash, your shoulders are likely to lock into position. This, unfortunately, means that they will receive even more force from the collision. It is common for people to unintentionally brace themselves against the dashboard or steering wheel, making shoulder injuries worse.
Bruises are far from the only potential soft tissue damage from a car accident. Other types include sprains, strains, and other damage to ligaments, tendons, and muscles.
Between the torque on your body from the crash and the impact itself, spine injuries are also common. Depending on the severity of the injury, they can even lead to partial or total paralysis.
Whiplash affects at least two million Americans every year, and while it is not exclusive to car accidents, it is a prevalent injury from them. Whiplash is a specific type of neck sprain or strain. It happens due to the motion of your head snapping forward before moving backward. The name comes from the fact that this motion is whip-like.
A critical note about whiplash is that you may not notice the pain from it until days or sometimes weeks after the accident. That’s one of the reasons it is so important to see a doctor after a car accident, even if you don’t think you’re injured.
In addition to physical injuries, some people will develop post-traumatic stress disorder following a car accident. This can require therapy to work through.
Depending on the type of injuries that you sustain from a car accident, you will need to see one or more of several different types of specialists.
While chiropractic care is primarily known for spinal manipulation, chiropractors can offer much more than this following car accidents. They may also use manual therapy, like trigger point therapy, therapeutic massage, manual joint resistance and stretching techniques, and soft tissue therapy that uses instruments. They may also use electrical stimulation.
Chiropractic care can reduce pain and inflammation, realign the spine, encourage scar tissue to heal, and improve mobility.
Physical therapists give patients customized exercises that can reduce their pain and weakness while improving mobility and functionality. This can also include manual therapy to reduce inflammation, promote healing of tissues, and decrease scar tissue.
Pain management doctors will create a customized plan to reduce or eliminate the pain from the car accident while you heal. At the most basic level, they may prescribe pain medicine. They may also give you a back or neck brace to encourage your soft tissues to heal or provide spinal injections to relieve pain. They also typically recommend physical therapy, massage therapy, and overall lifestyle and exercise management.
Physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists (PM&Rs), also known as physiatrists, work to boost your function and ability to complete daily activities. They will typically combine spinal injections, physical therapy, medication, exercises, occupational therapy, massages, and other treatments.
Orthopedists focus on healing your soft tissues following a car accident. They also use and suggest a range of treatments, such as chiropractic care, cold laser therapy, stem cell therapy, physical therapy, and spinal decompression.
There is a wide range of potential injuries from car accidents, from minor cuts and bruises to broken bones that require surgery, severe spinal injuries that put you at risk of paralysis, and TBIs. Regardless of your specific type of injury, treatment will likely rely on a combination of various specialists, such as physical therapists, orthopedists, PM&Rs, pain management doctors, and chiropractors. Some of these specialists will have overlapping treatment methods, while others will refer patients to each other. Importantly, their various treatments complement each other.
Get in touch to schedule your appointment. At Comprehensive Healthcare Group, we accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, PIP (Personal Injury Protection), and medical liens. Same-day appointments may be available. Call us today at (516) 764-7760 and get on the road to recovery!
