When Will My Headaches Go Away After a Truck Accident?

After a truck accident, discussing your headache symptoms can help your doctor determine the cause and the best possible treatment. Whiplash is one of the most common causes of headaches after a car accident. Whiplash occurs when the neck muscles and ligaments become torn or strained by the sudden and rapid forward and backward movement caused by the impact. There are two other types of head injuries that victims of truck accidents and other traumatic injuries can suffer, and both can lead to chronic headaches. They are:

• Closed Head Injury: when the head hits against a hard object (e.g., steering wheel, or debris) during the crash, but nothing penetrated the skull; and
• Open Head Injury: when an object does penetrate the skull during the crash

A blow or jolt to the head caused by a truck accident can impair normal brain function and lead to debilitating headaches. This condition is called a brain injury or concussion. Although considered a mild head injury, the effects of a concussion can be serious. After a concussion, you can become unconscious for a short time; however, some people can sustain a brain injury without losing consciousness. Because the brain is very complex, headaches and other symptoms may immediately develop while others may take days, weeks, or even months after a car accident. Most people with mild brain injuries experience complete relief from headaches after a few days or weeks. However, people with severe brain injuries may require some time to recover fully.

If you have been in a truck accident, seek medical treatment immediately to increase your chances of recovering financial damages and preventing more serious and debilitating complications.

It is normal to have a mild headache after a blow to the head. However, headaches caused by a traumatic truck accident can be a warning sign of an impending brain injury. Immediately following an accident, it is recommended that you seek professional medical help to determine the best course of action for your condition. Some pain relievers may help, but sometimes, masking the discomforts related to headaches can be dangerous. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that your physician thoroughly assesses the quality, consistency, and duration of headaches following a car accident in order to achieve an accurate diagnosis and medical management. In addition, when presented with facts surrounding a particular accident, physicians will know how to look for other signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury that may otherwise go unnoticed by a layperson.

A car accident victim may begin to experience headaches at varying frequencies and severities. Because post-traumatic headaches may not immediately develop after your accident, determining the correct signs and symptoms of this detrimental condition can help prevent debilitating complications in the future. Some of the diverse symptoms of a post-traumatic headache are:

• A tightening sensation or pressure across your forehead, temples, or back of the head;
• Changes in mental status (e.g., drowsiness, memory problems, fainting);
• Difficulty concentrating;
• Dull, aching head pain;
• Increased sensitivity to light;
• Loss of appetite;
• Mood swings;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Sleeping difficulties; and
• Tenderness on the scalp, neck, and shoulder muscles