While sometimes injuries are immediately obvious at the scene of the crash, other injuries can show up in a delayed fashion, making you think you are OK at the time of the accident when, in truth, you may have suffered injuries that just don’t show up right away. Below are listed 6 delayed symptoms of car accident injury that you should not ignore:

Headaches

If you develop persistent headaches after a car accident, you should seek medical attention. Headaches can be a sign of concussion, whiplash, or other brain or spine injury. There could even be bleeding or a blood clot in the brain due to the impact of the crash. These injuries can cause both short and long-term disability, or even death, and should be attended to by your doctor.

Blurry Vision

Again, common car accident injuries such as concussions, whiplash, and spine or spinal cord injuries can have blurry vision as a delayed symptom. Any sudden change in your vision points to a change in the way the brain is processing information or a disruption in the eye, itself. Either way, this is a symptom that requires immediate medical attention.

Back Pain

Back pain is a common symptom after a car accident. Due to the adrenaline coursing through your body at the time of the accident, you may not notice the pain right away. Sometimes, too, the pain takes awhile to develop as swelling and inflammation increase over time. Back pain can indicate many different injuries, including herniated disks, spinal injury, pinched nerves, soft tissue damage, muscle tears or sprains, and a host of other problems.

Numbness or Tingling

Numbness or tingling can indicate some kind of nerve damage caused by your accident, and should not be ignored. A pinched nerve, whiplash, or a vertebral misalignment can all lead to numbness or tingling in various parts of the body. We all have that pins-and-needles feeling sometimes if we sleep in a certain position or sit too long in one spot, but if it occurs in a new way or with new frequency after a car accident, even if it didn’t show up right away, it can be the result of injuries sustained in the accident. You need to consult a medical professional to be sure.

Confusion, Brain Fog, or Changes in Personality

Head injuries are a very common result of car accidents. Often, the symptoms don’t appear until the brain has swelled, a blood clot has formed, or other factors kick in over time. If you or a loved one seem confused or “like a different person” after a car accident, a brain injury could be the cause. Seek medical attention without delay, as the condition could worsen quickly.

Abdominal pain or Tenderness

It is common in car accidents to suffer internal bleeding, and this is not likely to cause symptoms right away. Therefore, if you have any abdominal pain or tenderness after a car accident, it is imperative to get it checked out by a doctor, even if it seems like the car accident was too long ago to be related. How fast the symptoms show up can be related to the size of the bleed, but any internal bleeding is cause for concern and should be treated ASAP.