What to Do if You Experience a Headache Following an Auto Accident in Columbia, South Carolina

August 21, 2017

Headaches are among the most frequently seen complaints after any kind of personal injury accident. In fact, many people experience severe headaches without any known causal event. Yet, when someone experiences a headache after a Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident, the situation warrants further investigation. Even if you are used to getting headaches, even if you are prone to the worst of migraines, you still need to seek a full medical evaluation after an auto accident. This is especially true if you notice a headache after the collision. Never assume that it is simply another ordinary headache or one of your usual migraines. Even if the headache doesn’t start for a couple days after the collision, you still need to get it checked out. There are many possible causes for your headache, but auto accident injuries are particularly likely to cause a headache, and it may be an indication of a more serious issue.

Post-Traumatic Headaches Associated with Neck and Head Injuries After an Auto Accident

Some of the most frequently occurring auto accident injuries in Columbia, South Carolina, are whiplash and

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concussions. Whiplash is an injury to the neck, caused by the head snapping forward and back on the neck. This causes strained muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and the injury can be quite painful. Sometimes, people don’t know that they have a whiplash injury until a few days after the accident. You can wake up one day feeling stiff and sore. Concussions and traumatic brain injuries are also likely to go unnoticed in the immediate aftermath of a collision. When you get into an auto accident in Columbia, South Carolina, you are likely to be dealing with a lot in the moment. There’s the trauma of the event, the presence of severe injuries that are more readily apparent than whiplash or concussions, and the concern for the lives of yourself and others and your property damage.

This is why many people don’t recognize or seek treatment for whiplash or concussions until symptoms present in the days following the collision. One of these symptoms is the post-traumatic headache. This kind of headache is an indication that another injury is present in the neck or head. You may feel the pain radiating into your head, neck, and shoulders. Seek medical attention for such a headache and alert the treating physician of the fact that you have been in an auto accident.

Severe Concussion Headaches Associated with Auto Accidents in Columbia, South Carolina

While a mild concussion can result in a post-traumatic headache, some concussions are far more severe and can come with a terrible headache. A concussion is an injury to your brain that occurs when the brain is shaken up or collides with the skull. A headache is frequently the first sign of a severe concussion, though there are likely to be other signs as well. An observer may notice that your pupils are dilated. You may find that your balance and motor skills are off. You might be dizzy, nauseated, and confused. Confusion is one reason that some people don’t seek the medical attention that they need right away. This is another reason to press the advice of always seeking medical treatment for a headache after a Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident. You may be confused and disoriented, perhaps too much so to make a positive or coherent decision about your healthcare. So, make a point of always getting a full medical evaluation after an auto accident, particularly if you have a headache.

Muscle Strain Headaches Associated with Auto Accidents in Columbia, South Carolina

Auto accidents can result in all kinds of damage to your body, and when you experience trauma, strain, or spasms in your muscles, you can end up with a muscle strain headache. Like post-traumatic headaches, these headaches can be caused by injuries like whiplash. Your headache might come alone with a reduced range of motion, tension in your shoulders and neck, and tenderness in the area of injury. A good indication that your headache is a muscle strain headache is the pain that you are likely to feel in your neck and at the base of your skull. Seek a full medical evaluation for any headache that follows an auto accident and comes with this kind of pain and tenderness in the muscles.

Pinched Nerve Headaches Associated with Auto Accidents in Columbia, South Carolina

In cases where you end up with a pinched nerve after an auto accident, you might have pain in the neck, shoulders, hips, or back. You may also feel a tingling sensation, weakness, or numbness in your limbs. The pain you feel may seem to shoot down your arm or leg when you have a pinched nerve. Then, you are likely to get pinched nerve headaches, too. It is important to seek medical treatment for a pinched nerve headache and to ensure that you do not suffer from more untreated pinched nerve damage.

Migraine Headaches Associated with Auto Accidents in Columbia, South Carolina

Many people get migraine headaches on a regular basis, and are well aware of how severe these headaches can be. Unfortunately, this also leads many Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident victims to not seek medical treatment for such a headache. You may be so used to dealing with migraines on your own that it doesn’t even occur to you to seek treatment. Or you might seek treatment, but fail to mention that you were in an auto accident, not seeing the relationship between the two. If you are not used to getting migraines, then you could find that this is your new reality after an auto accident. You might start suffering from migraine headaches on a regular basis that you never had to deal with in the past. If you are used to suffering from migraines, then you may find that they become more frequent after a Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident.

Can You Recover Compensation for Headaches After an Auto Accident in Columbia, South Carolina?

If you start suffering from headaches after a Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident, then you may have other injuries that need to be addressed, or you may end up with frequent headaches. In either case, it is possible to recover compensation for your medical expenses, time off of work, and pain and suffering. Call the Columbia, South Carolina, auto accident attorneys at the Connell Law Firm to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your options for compensation.