Most of us do not make too big of a deal out of headaches. They usually go away within one day.
Headaches after car crashes, including migraine headaches, are another matter. Migraines could be a symptom of a traumatic brain injury.
Greg Monforton and Partners discusses how Windsor car crashes could cause migraine headaches, what makes these headaches so debilitating and treatment options.
If the crash was the result of another driver’s negligence, our Windsor auto accident lawyers may be able to secure compensation on your behalf. Our firm previously obtained more than $850,000 on behalf of a crash victim who suffered migraines after a rear-end crash.
Local Lawyers. Proven Results. No Upfront Costs. Call us at: (866) 320-4770.
Headaches After Crashes Are Common
Headaches are one of the most common symptoms of a car crash injury, especially if you hit your head during the collision. You could also suffer headaches if you strain the muscles in your neck, head or upper back. Skull fractures can also cause victims to suffer headaches.
People tend to dismiss headaches as no big deal, but post-crash headaches should be treated immediately. If you have a brain injury it could get much worse without immediate treatment. The headaches are likely to continue as well.
Car Crash Injuries That Could Cause Migraines
There are several types of injuries that could occur in a car crash and result in migraines.
Concussions/Traumatic Brain Injuries
Headaches are often a symptom people experience while recovering from a concussion. Car crashes often cause concussions when drivers hit their heads on the steering wheel or window. Crash victims might assume they did not suffer a brain injury if they did not lose consciousness. However, brain injuries can happen without the victim losing consciousness.
If migraine headaches are accompanied by memory loss, ringing in the ears and confusion, you may have a brain injury.
Whiplash and Other Muscle Strain Injuries
During the collision, the force of impact may have caused your head and neck to quickly whip forward and back. If this occurs with enough force, you could suffer sprains or tears of muscles, tendons and ligaments in your neck. The soft-tissue damage from whiplash is painful enough, but the injury could also result in migraine headaches.
Sometimes soft-tissue damage in the back or neck could cause pain that radiates up into your head, which could result in migraine headaches.
Herniated Disc
Herniated discs are incredibly painful back injuries caused by the center of a spinal disc pushing out through the exterior casing. This could cause a pinched nerve at the base of the skull, resulting in migraine headaches.
Fractured Skull
You are likely to experience significant pain at the site of the fracture and might develop migraine headaches. You might only experience pain at the trauma site without other symptoms of a migraine. Even if you do not suffer a migraine, you may experience other alarming symptoms like blood running from your eyes, ears or nose.
How Migraines Differ From Typical Headaches
People who have never experienced a migraine headache, or know someone who has, you may not understand how devastating they can be.
A migraine headache is not the same as a “regular” headache. A migraine is considered a neurological disease that causes specific symptoms, which may include:
- Intense pulsating pain on one side of the head
- Increased sensitivity to light or sound, which could trigger a migraine
- Difficult concentrating or finding the words to say
- Vomiting
- Feeling dizzy
- Blurry vision or seeing double
- Changes in mood
- Numbness, such as in the face or hands
Victims may suffer one symptom or a combination of symptoms. Some symptoms may come and go during migraine episodes. It may take a day or two for the pain from these headaches to subside.
What Are the Different Types of Migraine Headaches?
Migraine headaches can be divided into two main categories: chronic migraines and episodic migraines.
- Chronic migraines affect victims for at least 15 days per month.
- Episodic migraines happen less than 15 times each month.
Migraines can also be classified by how they start and the types of symptoms people experience. For example, some migraines include an aura and some do not. If the migraine has an aura, the victim will experience symptoms that warn about a coming migraine, such as:
- Numbness
- Seeing spots
- Seeing wavy lines
Migraines that do not have an aura come on without warning.
There are also silent migraines that do not cause a headache, although victims experience other symptoms.
How Long Could Headaches Last After an Auto Accident?
Post-crash migraine headaches may resolve on their own or they may be a long-term problem. There is currently no known cure for migraine headaches, but there are numerous treatment options that have been shown to be effective.
Other types of car crash headaches, like post-traumatic headaches may resolve in just a few weeks. That said, each situation is different and some people may experience these headaches for much longer.
Post-concussive headaches could affect you for up to two weeks or several months.
Treatment Options For Migraine Sufferers
Headaches after a car crash should never be ignored, especially if they are persistent. You need to get treatment right away to determine the cause of the headaches. When doctors get to work on the root cause of your headaches, they may be able to help get your migraines under control.
Doctors often do imaging tests like MRIs or CT scans to diagnose damage to the brain. However, there is no test that can diagnose a migraine. Doctors need to know about the symptoms you are experiencing, so it is important to be thorough when describing what you are going through.
There are various treatments for migraines that have shown promise, such as:
- Prescription medications to prevent migraines and treat them after they start, including medications that block pathways in the brain
- Prescription medications that are injected into the body, including Botox, corticosteroids and local anesthesia
- Anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Excedrin, Motrin)
- Prescription nasal sprays
- Adjustment from a chiropractor, which may help relieve a nerve injury that can trigger migraines
- Acupuncture
- Massages
Some migraine episodes are so serious victims need to go to the emergency room for prescription medication to help relieve pain.
Seeking Compensation For Post-Crash Migraine Headaches
While crash victims who suffer migraines can document their medical expenses, it is more difficult to quantify the physical pain from these headaches and other associated symptoms. This is one of the many reasons victims should hire an experienced lawyer to manage their claim.
You can be sure the insurance company will try to downplay the severity of your headaches and the other symptoms you experience. They may claim the migraines were caused by something besides the accident, as there is no official way to diagnose this condition.
That is why it is vital that victims tell their doctors about everything they experience and call a lawyer right away so he or she can help document injuries and damages.
Contact Greg Monforton and Partners After a Crash
There are severe headaches and then there are migraines, which can cause severe pain and other debilitating symptoms. While the physical component of these headaches cannot be overstated, the cognitive element is also severe.
If you developed migraines after a crash, another driver may be liable. Our experienced lawyers are here to help you secure the compensation you need for medical care and other damages. Call today to learn if you may have a viable claim.
Experienced lawyers ready to help victims. Contact us: (866) 320-4770.