People involved in crashes typically know that they are at risk of injury. Most vehicle occupants check themselves carefully for injuries immediately after crashes occur. They move their limbs and assess themselves for pain and other symptoms of injuries.
Occasionally, people overlook the warning signs of serious injuries, such as broken bones and brain injuries. In some cases, they have yet to develop symptoms. A traumatic brain injury, for example, can take days for the inflammation of the brain to cause major symptoms. Other times, the body’s stress response may prevent them from noticing symptoms that become obvious hours later or the next morning.
What is the stress response?
The body and brain work together to protect a person experiencing something dangerous. The stress response, sometimes called the fight-or-flight response or an adrenaline rush, involves the brain flooding the body with specific chemicals. People breathe more quickly, and their hearts start pounding to supply the body with oxygen-rich blood.
The stress response can help people fight off predators or escape a dangerous situation. The stress response covers up pain symptoms and provides a surge of energy that can be life-saving in a disaster scenario. It can also complicate injuries.
People may not notice the early warning signs of painful, even debilitating injuries because of how their brain responds to the trauma of the car crash. It may be hours before those chemicals subside and allow the injured person to notice their pain symptoms.
People who feel energetic or even frenetic after a car crash may need to make a point of seeing a doctor to check for injuries that they may have overlooked. Obtaining a prompt diagnosis after a car crash may make it easier for people to pursue compensation for their losses later.