What are car accident injuries?
A car accident can injure the muscles, ligaments, and joints that support your neck and back, causing pain, stiffness, or difficulty moving.
New symptoms after a crash deserve medical attention.
How do these injuries happen?
A collision can move your body abruptly, placing stress on your neck and back. The sudden back-and-forth movement of your head and neck can strain the surrounding tissues and cause whiplash.
A crash can also cause a concussion—even without a direct hit to your head. Symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, or trouble concentrating should not be dismissed as ordinary soreness.
Common symptoms after a car accident
Neck pain and stiffness
Soreness, tightness, or difficulty turning your head when checking mirrors, looking over your shoulder, or backing out of a driveway.
Headaches
Pain that may begin at the base of your skull, sometimes alongside neck stiffness. New headaches after a crash should be assessed because they can also be a sign of a concussion.
Shoulder and upper-back pain
Aching or tenderness across your shoulders, between your shoulder blades, or into your arms.
Low back pain
Pain or stiffness that makes sitting, bending, or getting in and out of the car uncomfortable.
Muscle tightness and tenderness
Your neck, shoulders, or back may feel tense, sore to the touch, or uncomfortable during everyday movements.
Tingling or numbness
Pins and needles, reduced feeling, or shooting pain into an arm or leg may be signs of nerve irritation. One possible cause is a herniated disc, when the soft inner material of a spinal disc pushes through its outer layer and irritates a nearby nerve.