Headaches & Concussion from an Auto Accident

When the spinal joints are injured, your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves around the neck become inflamed, causing headaches. Even if your head did not have contact with an object in the car,  such as steering wheel or dashboard, the force of the collision alone may cause traumatic brain injury (TBI). This occurs when the brain is jostled in the skull during the whiplash motion. Traumatic brain injuries are often referred to as concussions.

Headaches from concussions can be intense and are often associated with dizziness, vertigo, and nausea. If you think you might have a concussion, you should be aware that you are more sensitive to additional injuries while you recover.

Headaches, dizziness, vertigo, and nausea can dramatically decrease your ability to perform daily tasks, and these symptoms are very common after an auto accident.

Causes of Headaches & Concussion

Headaches do not necessarily indicate a TBI. A strain on muscles and tissue in the neck from whiplash causes tension and can put additional pressure on the head, resulting in headaches. Misalignment of the cervical spine can also cause headaches.

Severe headaches—such as migrains—as well as dizziness, vertigo, and nausea, can be indicators of a more serious head injury. In an auto accident, if the head sustains impact, the brain will absorb most of it in a series of three hits in succession. Because the brain essentially “floats” inside the cranial cavity, when the head is jolted in any direction, the brain first hits one side of the skull, inertia carries it to the other side for the second impact, before the brain settles. The third impact happens here when the brain begins to swell from the first two impacts, which adds pressure to the surrounding nerves, muscles, tissue and spine.

This trauma contributes to headaches, dizziness, vertigo, and nausea.

How We Evaluate Headaches & Concussion

There are two assessments a chiropractor will make when a patient is suffering from headaches, dizziness, vertigo, and nausea after an auto accident. The first is a physical assessment, including a close examination of x-rays or MRI scans and a physical examination. The second is a pain assessment. Measuring pain is difficult because it is highly subjective and therefore difficult to communicate. An open conversation between doctor and patient is critical to establish a baseline and quantify levels of pain a patient is experiencing.

During these conversations, a chiropractor will determine if a patient’s pain is intermittent or constant, the type of pain (stabbing, throbbing, burning, etc.), pain triggers, times of day when pain most often occurs, and the level of pain on a scale of 1 to 10. Doctors will also inquire about medical history, medications, and previous treatments.

In this way, a doctor can effectively assess a patient’s condition and determine the best course of treatment to repair injury and relieve pain.

Headaches, dizziness, vertigo, and nausea are treatable, and they do not have to slow you down. A chiropractor can help you get back to normal, depending on your condition. Schedule a free consultation today.