How adrenaline masks pain after an auto accident

Anyone can end up in a car accident. In one incident earlier in June, two people sustained serious injuries that left them in critical condition following a collision in Chesterfield. 

In extreme cases, it will be obvious whether you have an injury and need to see a doctor. However, there have been plenty of instances where drivers felt perfectly fine after a traffic collision. Having to speak to the police and an insurance agent can make a person just want to go home and avoid seeing a doctor. Even if victims feel all right after a car accident, it is still for the best to get a full medical diagnosis. Many injuries remain hidden, and you may not be in the right state of mind to care for yourself. 

Adrenaline affects what you feel

After a dangerous event, adrenaline will flood the bloodstream. This is a hormone your body produces when it experiences traumatic events, and it is responsible for initiating the “fight or flight” response. 

When vast quantities of the hormone go into the blood, it raises a person’s sweat production, dilates the pupils and increases heart rate. It also blocks the sensation of pain, so your body can deal with the intense event more adequately. As a result, the person may enter a stress-induced analgesia that prevents him or her from feeling discomfort. 

Need for a medical examination

Seeing a doctor may sound tough when all you want to do is go home, but it is essential to make sure you are safe. There are plenty of afflictions, such as traumatic brain injuries, that do not result in any symptoms until weeks after the initial incident. At this point, you will have a harder time trying to connect the injury to the accident when you speak with your insurance company. Even if you get a clean bill of health, at least you have peace of mind.