Stephen Schultz | April 1, 2025 | Personal Injury
If you’ve been involved in an accident, you may already know that adrenalin can mask pain. When the brain senses a threat, it quickly engages in the “fight, flight, or freeze” response that is meant to help you stay safe in a dangerous situation. The release of a chemical known as epinephrine (adrenaline) prepares you for action.
Not feeling pain is part of that process. However, an absence of pain doesn’t mean there is an absence of injury. It is not unusual for people to experience delayed pain—pain that isn’t noticed for days or even weeks after an incident. Delayed pain is common in injuries from car accidents and other traumatic events.
What Causes Delayed Pain?
Some injuries aren’t immediately visible. Inflammation from soft tissue damage may not be noticeable for many hours or days. As swelling puts pressure on surrounding nerves, it creates pain.
Nerve damage is one cause of delayed pain. Compression of sensory nerves can happen while sleeping, so numbness, tingling, and other signs of nerve damage may not be noticed until the day after an accident. In addition, a minor injury to a sensory nerve can lead to further injuries.
It is the nature of some injuries, such as whiplash, to cause delayed pain. This is one reason it’s important to seek medical care after any type of collision, fall, or workplace accident. The sooner you begin receiving treatment for an injury, the faster and easier your recovery will be.
Take Action if You Experience Delayed Pain
The most important step to take if you feel delayed pain is to see a doctor. Even if you require emergency care after the initial injury, contact your physician. Your doctor will evaluate your symptoms and may order diagnostic tests to identify any underlying injuries.
Report the Incident
Don’t wait for delayed pain before reporting an accident. File a police report if you are in a car accident. If you’re injured on private property, inform the property owners as soon as possible. Workplace injuries, falls, and other incidents should be reported to the proper authority as soon as possible. In the case of an auto accident, make sure to notify your insurance company.
Document Your Symptoms and Medical Care
Keep a detailed record of your pain and any related symptoms. A daily log is a convenient way to organize this information. Also, keep a record of all your medical care, including scheduled appointments, diagnostic tests, telehealth appointments, and phone conversations.
Follow All Medical Recommendations
Your health and recovery are the most important considerations. Following your doctor’s orders will aid your recovery, reduce pain, and reduce the risk of more complications. If you should decide to file a personal injury lawsuit, compliance with medical recommendations will help strengthen your case.
Don’t Ignore Delayed Pain
Pain is the body’s way of telling you something is wrong. Some mild discomfort is normal if you’ve taken a tumble or been in an accident, but new pain that suddenly appears should be reported to your doctor. Hidden injuries from car accidents and other incidents could signal the presence of a more serious condition.
Contact the St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyers at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers
The pain, suffering, lost wages, and medical bills related to delayed pain can quickly take a toll. If your accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to financial compensation. If you’re experiencing delayed pain after an accident, schedule a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer to evaluate your case and protect your legal rights.
If you’ve been injured, please contact the attorneys at Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation, we proudly serve all throughout Missouri, including St. Louis County and Boone County and we have offices in St. Louis, Ladue, Columbia, Creve Coeur.
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Louis Office
1430 Washington Ave Ste 225
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 444-4444
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Ladue Office
9807 S 40 Dr
St. Louis, MO 63124
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Columbia Office
28 N 8th St # 502
Columbia, MO 65201
Schultz & Myers Personal Injury Lawyers – Creve Coeur Office
999 Executive Pkwy Dr #205
Creve Coeur, MO 63141
