While a motor vehicle accident may produce obvious injuries, it is possible a collision you become involved in will not create any signs of harm. However, this does not mean you have not suffered an injury. Your auto accident may have done damage to some of your soft tissues.
It is easy to mistake an ache or a bout of pain for something harmless. However, if you have recently experienced an auto accident, the collision may be responsible. Johns Hopkins Medicine explains the different kinds of soft tissue injuries that may occur because of an auto accident.
Strains
The stress exerted by an automobile collision can stretch or otherwise apply force that strains your muscles and tendons. Generally, treating a strain only requires rest and pressing ice against the injured area. However, some strains can be severe enough to tear a muscle. In this case, you may need surgery to repair the problem.
Sprains
A sprain happens when a force twists or wrenches a ligament. Ligaments are tissue that connects your bones. When a ligament suffers a sprain, it can affect your knees, wrists or ankles depending on the party of the body impacted. Treating a sprain may involve rest, elevation and ice, but if you have a completely torn ligament, you may require surgery.
Contusions
Your car accident might go as far as to bruise your soft tissue. Blood may flow into your tissue and produce discoloration. Doctors call this condition a contusion. Contusions also cause pain and inflammation. Proper treatment for a contusion may include rest, elevation and applying ice to the injury.
Stress fractures
An auto collision can also injure your bones. You may suffer small cracks in one or more of your bones that a doctor may diagnose as stress fractures. While visiting a doctor, you may learn that you just need rest, ice or maybe pain medication. You want to treat a stress fracture as soon as you can to avoid a full bone breakage, which will probably necessitate surgery to repair.
