The Difference Between a Headache and a Migraine
It isn’t uncommon to experience head pain after an accident either immediately or in the following days. The term “headache” is often used as a catchall phrase for head pain. However, a migraine is different. It is defined by the American Migraine Foundation as a neurological disease brought on by factors such as trauma to the head, neck, or spine.
Migraines are more chronic problems than typical headaches and can be differentiated by the following:
- Pulsing pain
- Often pain is local to one side of the head
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Double vision
- Sensitivity to light and/or sound
- Trouble concentrating
- Symptoms increase with physical activity
The body’s immediate response to an accident is to release adrenaline to protect itself. This means you might not feel any pain right away. After an accident, you will want to seek immediate medical attention to determine any injuries that might lead to ongoing issues with migraine.
What to Expect Physically After a Car Accident
From fender benders to major collisions, no two car accidents are the same. Collisions can result in a variety of injuries depending on a number of factors. This includes:
- Speed of the car (or cars) at the time of the accident
- Whether or not seat belts were in use
- Whether or not airbags were deployed
- Type of car (or cars) involved in the crash
How people feel physically after an accident will vary from minor symptoms of whiplash to more severe head injuries, such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to the latest brain injury facts and statistics, more than 64,000 people died from TBI-related deaths in 2020. Auto accidents were a leading cause of injury. Migraines follow under the umbrella as a TBI.
Can a Car Accident Cause Memory Loss?
While it is not an official symptom of migraines, memory loss is related to having a TBI. The trauma of an accident can lead victims to being confused, however, it is not normal to suffer any form of total memory loss. This could be a sign of a serious brain injury, just like migraines.
There are three primary types of memory loss that accidents can cause:
- Post-traumatic amnesia. This is a state of memory loss that occurs immediately following an accident.
- Anterograde amnesia. This is the inability to form new memories following the accident and is the most common memory loss for car crash victims. People who suffer from this often refer to it as “blacking out.”
- Retrograde amnesia. This is losing memories prior to an accident including events leading up the collision and even major life events.
If you’ve suffered any form of a TBI–migraines or memory loss– in a car accident where you were not at fault, you may be eligible for compensation. Stop wondering “Can a car accident cause migraines?” Instead, contact a traumatic brain injury lawyer to determine your next course of action.
Avrek Law is here to help you navigate the process. With more than 50 years of combined experience resolving cases in favor of clients who were wrongfully injured. Avrek Law has recovered more than $1 billion in compensation for injury victims in more than 25,000 cases. Contact us for your free consultation to learn more!
