Internal injuries after a car accident may trick people into thinking they are fine on the outside. Following a minor or major car accident, it is crucial to take immediate action. The less evident symptoms make the victims think they are doing fine, which may backfire. Internal injuries are as serious as external or visible injuries.
Identifying an internal injury is quite challenging, as the affected person may not be in the right mental space to process it. But ignoring it on the whole can cause major issues in the long run, and if your symptoms are unattended, you will be in a difficult spot with complications. Let’s read into the starting signs of such internal injuries.
What Are Internal Injuries?
Unlike a sustained fracture or a broken bone, these injuries aren’t outwardly evident. Internal injuries are basically damages caused on the inside that affect the blood vessels, tissues, and other major organs without a visible wound on the skin. This might lead to damage to the tissues or any particular organs or structures within the body.
Why Are Internal Injuries Dangerous After Car Accidents?
Car accidents are more prone to internal injuries, but they are not visible or felt initially. The patient will not be in a mental state to explain or understand internal damage. In this case, the doctors will examine them initially for any physical damage.
For diagnosing any internal injury, the doctor might want to perform a CT scan, X-ray, or Angiography. This will help in identifying any damage to the tissues, bones, and blood vessels. Usually, EFAST will be in the emergency room with an ultrasound to check for internal bleeding or any fluid accumulation. EFAST is known as Extended Focused Assessment with Sonography for analyzing trauma.
Internal organs like the liver, spleen, and gallbladder will not produce any outward swelling, unlike injuries to the skin, muscles, and bones. Even urine or stool tests can’t help identify them. As we have seen, these damages can cause more serious issues, because of their quick development, which may lead to serious health conditions.
In addition to understanding internal injuries, it’s crucial to know how to act immediately after any medical crisis. Refer to our Complete guide for handling Medical emergencies for a detailed step-by-step response plan.
5 Warning Signs Of Internal Injuries After a Car Accident:
It may be difficult, but looking for these symptoms might help in identifying the facts about internal injuries.
Nausea
Dizziness is a common sign after a car accident because of excessive blood loss. Sometimes it may lead to vomiting if there are any internal injuries after a car accident. Blood in the vomit indicates internal damage.
Pain
Pain is a common sign. But pain in the chest, abdomen, or groin area may lead to serious health issues. The pain may be mild, but to avoid worsening, it should be treated properly from the beginning.
Shock
Shock is a typical sign when someone undergoes a car accident. It occurs when the body doesn’t get enough blood flow due to heavy blood loss. The excessive loss of blood will cause a rapid heart rate, lethargy, or lightheadedness.
Bruising
Bruising can occur internally. Internal bleeding of tissues will cause purple skin. This is not the same as outward bruises.
Blood In Stool Or Urine
If there is any blood in the stool or urine, you must seek medical help immediately. As it indicates, the injuries happened to the bowel, kidney, or abdominal parts.
What Happens If You Ignore Internal Injuries?
Any injury should be treated well till it’s fully cured. If it is not cured, it may lead to long-term health issues and discomfort for the patients. An untreated internal injury is fatal as it affects the organ and its functions, which might lead to a failure of that particular organ.
When a concussion is not treated after a car accident, it may cause blurry vision or persistent headaches. It may lead to long-term or short-term memory loss in some cases.
So, don’t hesitate to contact us at Meridian; our expert practitioners are here to guide you toward faster recovery and peace of mind.
What Organ Is Damaged After an Accident?
In car accidents, the injury is usually caused by slamming against the dashboard, windshield, steering wheel, or airbag. There will be debris or any luggage collision, too. What might happen during a car injury? The high-impact collision will impact the organs by rupturing or perforating them, such as the kidneys, liver, or spleen. This might lead to a dangerous threat, such as internal bleeding or failure of that organ.
Broken Ribs
The major symptoms of broken ribs are,
- Severe pain while breathing, moving, or coughing.
- Swelling or pain in the affected area.
- There might be bruises visible on the affected area.
- The broken ribs pose a threat to cause damage to the vital organs nearby, like the liver, spleen, or lungs.
Consider the lung as a balloon. It can deflate when poked by something sharp, e.g. a broken rib or a knife. It is what we term a collapsed lung.
When it occurs, one might experience a sharp stabbing pain in the chest. It makes breathing difficult, the heart can become high, and they might feel awfully fatigued.
Burst in the Main Abdominal Vessel (Exploded Abdominal Aorta)
The abdominal aorta is the big water pipe, or main artery, in your body. If that pipe leaks, it causes really nasty internal bleeding.
Warning signs look like this:
- Severe cramps in the belly and back.
- Cold sweats pale skin
- Feeling as though you might pass out.
- Cardiac race to the wind
This is a life-threatening emergency. The body loses blood rapidly and needs immediate surgical intervention to prevent the blood loss and save the person’s life.
Ruptured Spleen
The spleen is the organ that helps filter the blood and fight any infections in the body. It is located on the upper left side of the abdomen. So if a spleen is ruptured, the signs to look for are,
- Severe pain in the upper left abdomen, which is tender on touch.
- Left shoulder pain.
- Lightheadedness.
- Confusion.
- Blurred vision.
The symptoms may sometimes not be felt until a few hours or days later. However, a spleen rupture is a life-threatening injury if it is not treated properly. So, consider checking for the signs with your doctor.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A sudden blow or heavy hit to the head is more common in car accidents. The various ways to look into internal injuries after a car accident are,
- Persistent headaches.
- Dizziness.
- Memory issues.
- Confusion.
- Mood swings.
- In rare cases, unconsciousness.
These symptoms of Traumatic brain injury should be treated immediately to avoid mild to severe discomfort. Long-term negligence may cause cognitive impairment and emotional instability in some severe conditions. Our Meridian hospital will give immediate medical attention to save the life.
How Do I Know If Something Is Wrong With My Inside?
Internal Injuries after car accidents are not difficult to find out. Internal injuries are usually associated with the above-discussed symptoms. Proper investigation with X-ray, ultrasound, blood, and urine examination will reveal the damage your body is struggling through internal trauma.
Our expert doctors in Meridian Hospital Emergency Care will follow the proper protocols to rule out the injuries you are facing, both physically visible and internal.
Points To Note Finally!
Internal injuries from car accidents are not a visible problem. It can only be found by looking for the symptoms and running the necessary tests for them.
Internal bleeding will be a major cause of all internal injury symptoms. However, the source will be different according to the organ affected.
More particular symptoms, like abdominal pain in specific areas or headaches related to a concussion, may tell you the organs you might look into.
That’s why our doctors are giving zero chances to any risk and giving a thorough examination with investigation. To make sure your health is at its best!
FAQs
1. How do I know I have an Internal Injury?
Ans. Any internal injury will cause internal bleeding. So, blood in urine or stool is a common symptom of internal Injuries.
2. Can I have an Internal Injury Without Pain?
Ans. No. As internal injury is always associated with internal bleeding caused by organ rupture or blood vessel damage, it is always associated with pain.
3. How Can I Find Out My Internal Injury?
Ans. Tests can be performed with various procedures like X-rays, CT scans, ultrasound sonography, and Angiography. These will show the exact place and cause of your internal trauma.
