Numbness and Tingling After a Car Accident
Numbness, tingling, or a pins-and-needles feeling after a car accident can be associated with nerve irritation or compression, such as a pinched nerve or herniated disc. These symptoms may not appear until days after the crash. An evaluation can help determine what is contributing to them and what next steps are appropriate.
What can cause numbness and tingling after a crash?
The impact of a collision can strain the spine and the tissues around it. Cleveland Clinic notes that radiculopathy, where a spinal nerve root is pinched or inflamed, often causes pain, numbness, tingling, and sometimes weakness that travels along the nerve's path, such as from the neck into the arm or from the low back into the leg.
Symptoms that may warrant evaluation
- Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
- Pins-and-needles sensations that come and go
- Radiating pain along a nerve path
- Weakness or a feeling of heaviness in a limb
- Symptoms that appear days or weeks after the accident
Persistent numbness or tingling warrants a medical evaluation. Cleveland Clinic advises contacting a healthcare provider as soon as you notice new symptoms, especially if they last more than a few days.
Symptoms that need emergency care
Seek emergency medical attention right away if numbness or tingling is accompanied by sudden or progressive weakness, trouble walking, difficulty controlling your bladder or bowels, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs. Cleveland Clinic classifies these as potential signs of cauda equina syndrome, a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment.
How an evaluation can help
At Spinal Connection Rehab & Wellness Center in North Miami Beach, Dr. Lynn Labrousse reviews your history, discusses your symptoms, and completes an evaluation before recommending any care. In-office X-rays may be taken when appropriate. The clinic offers chiropractic care, spinal decompression, and rehabilitation-oriented services that may be part of an individualized care plan when appropriate.
Common questions
Can numbness and tingling appear days after a car accident?
Yes. Nerve-related symptoms can be delayed and may not appear until days or weeks after the collision. Persistent numbness or tingling warrants a medical evaluation.
Is numbness and tingling after an accident an emergency?
Not always, but it can be. Seek emergency care right away if it comes with sudden or progressive weakness, trouble walking, loss of bladder or bowel control, or numbness in the groin or inner thighs.
