Nausea and vomiting after a car accident are normal. However, if these symptoms become so debilitating that they’re starting to affect your life, know that our Eason & Tambornini personal injury attorneys are here to help you through the legal process. We can answer your questions about why whiplash can make you feel sick, why you’re still vomiting days after the car accident, how you can sleep when you have whiplash, and the symptoms of shock after an accident. If you have any other questions about traumatic injuries from a car accident, please give our office a call to set up a meeting with one of our attorneys, and we’ll be happy to assist you.
There are many causes of nausea and vomiting after a car accident. The most common is an injury to the digestive system. Any abnormality like bruising and hematoma could affect how they normally function and result in symptoms like abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, stomach bloating and swelling, and tenderness.
Whiplash also causes nausea and vomiting. The force from the car collision forces your neck to whip forcefully backward and then forward. Inside the skull, the force also jolts the brain from its normal position and causes damages. If there is some damage to the lower brain region, it could result in nausea and vomiting symptoms because it’s the location of the regulatory centers.
Affectation of the vertebrobasilar artery during whiplash also causes nausea and vomiting. This is the artery that supplies the lower brain regions, so inadequate blood supply could cause abnormalities in their functioning and induce nausea and vomiting.
Nausea and vomiting are oftentimes late-appearing symptoms after car accidents, so if you have these symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately. He or she will order laboratory tests to see if there are other injuries in the brain and the stomach because these symptoms often originate from these areas.
Any injury to the digestive system caused by blunt trauma could result in irritation and inflammation, which, in turn, could cause nausea and vomiting. Likewise, affectation of the brain resulting in brainstem injury and vertebrobasilar artery insufficiency also causes nausea and vomiting.
Ear injuries can also contribute to nausea and vomiting. The middle ear contains fluid and hair-like cells responsible for detecting motion and body position. If loud noises like airbag deployment damage the middle ear, it could result in nausea, vomiting, tinnitus, and vertigo symptoms.
Whiplash can be very painful. Even small neck movements and touch can elicit pain, so it’s not unusual for whiplash to cause sleep problems. If you’re having sleeping problems because of whiplash, there are some things that you can try to help alleviate the symptoms.
You need to develop proper neck posture, which means keeping your head and neck aligned and your back straight. Correct posture not only reduces unnecessary stress on your neck region but keeps the back healthy as well. In addition to this, you also need to start gentle neck stretches and exercises to strengthen muscles and regain better movements.
A warm bath before sleeping can also help reduce neck muscle spasms and improve pain. You can also apply a warm towel over the area to relax the muscles.
Finally, try sleeping on your back with a pillow under your neck and knees to promote proper neck and back alignment.
Acute stress reaction or shock immediately after a traumatic event is normal. The accident is a stimulus, and like any stimulus, it will trigger strong emotional reactions like reduced awareness of surroundings, dissociative amnesia, stress, anxiety, and fear.
However, there is also a condition called delayed stress reaction, also called post-traumatic stress disorder, which develops after the traumatic event. Symptoms are varied and include intrusive memories that elicit strong reactions, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of places and things that remind them of the traumatic event, mood changes, memory and concentration problems, dissociation, lack of interest, negative thoughts about himself or the world, emotional detachment, inability to feel and appreciate positive things, sleep problems, mood changes, irritability, suicidal thoughts, etc.
Car accident victims who have post-traumatic stress disorder will often need psychotherapy and medications to cope.
What can you do?
Nausea and vomiting after a car accident can impact your personal and professional life. If you or a loved one sustained traumatic injuries from a collision caused by another party, you could approach one of our lawyers for a consultation. We can help you understand how whiplash can cause nausea and vomiting, why these symptoms could persist long after the accident, techniques to sleep better if you have suffered from whiplash, and symptoms of acute stress reaction and post-traumatic stress disorder. If you want to know more about traumatic injuries, including nausea and vomiting, after a car accident, please feel free to call our office to set up a meeting with one of our car accident attorneys, and we will assist you through the legal process.
