Pain the Day After St. Louis Motor Vehicle Accident

There are a couple of reasons why you might hurt the day after a car crash, even if you didn't feel much pain immediately. Here's a breakdown of the main culprits:

Adrenaline's masking effect: During a car crash, your body releases a surge of adrenaline. This hormone acts like a natural painkiller, helping you cope with the immediate stress and potential danger. However, the effects of adrenaline wear off after a while, often within 24 hours. Once that happens, the pain receptors overwhelmed by adrenaline can unleash a wave of pain signals, making you sore and achy the day after the crash.

Delayed injury response: Some injuries, particularly those involving soft tissues like muscles, ligaments, and tendons, might not present immediate pain. The damage itself might have occurred during the crash, but the inflammatory response that causes pain takes time to build up. This is why you might feel okay right after the accident but experience aches and stiffness the next day.

Here are some of the common injuries that can cause delayed pain after a car crash:

Muscle strains and sprains: These occur when muscles or ligaments are stretched or torn beyond their limits. The pain might be mild initially and worsen over the next day or two as inflammation sets in.
Whiplash: This is a neck injury caused by the forceful back-and-forth motion of the head during a crash. Symptoms like neck pain, stiffness, and headaches can develop over hours or even days after the accident.
Internal injuries: Though less common, some internal injuries like bleeding or minor fractures might not cause immediate pain. As the body starts processing the damage, pain can arise later.

If you're experiencing pain after a car crash, it's important to see a doctor, regardless of when the pain started. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent complications and promote a faster recovery. The doctor can assess your injuries, determine the cause of your pain, and recommend appropriate treatment options.