So you’ve just been in an auto accident – even a slow speed auto accident. You could be on your way to suffering moderate to severe pain, regardless of what you’re feeling at the moment. What is the first thing you should do? Obviously stay where you are and call the police. Then record as much information (written and taking photographs with your phone) as you can.
But maybe the apparent damage doesn’t seem that bad. You exchange insurance info with the other driver and go on your way down the road. Then, a day or two later, you shoulder seems really stiff, tender and actually painful. Where did that come from?
More often than not, it was the accident. Shoulder injuries are one of the top 4 injuries after a car accident. The shoulder consists of the clavicle, the humerus and the scapula. One or all of these parts routinely get injured during collisions.
The primary symptoms of a shoulder injury are…
- Painful, tender, stiff shoulder
- Shoulder pain that gets worse at night, disturbing your sleep
- Tingling, numbness, swelling, or weakness in or around the shoulder
- Focused shoulder pain that worsens with activity
- Difficulty with mobility
- Discoloration in your shoulder area
- A “bump” above the shoulder bone where the shoulder may have separated
All of the above symptoms point to a shoulder injury. But the only way to really know you’ve suffered a shoulder injury as a result of a car accident is to get it examined by a healthcare professional.
We recommend you call Accident & Injury Chiropractic. All they do is treat auto accident victims like you. They’ll pick you up (many car accident injuries make it difficult or impossible to drive yourself), evaluate your injuries, and treat you gently and thoroughly like they have with thousands of others over the last 24 years.
Regardless of who you call, take all post auto accident injuries seriously. Your successful recovery depends on it.
