NOW With 6 Locations: NW Expressway, Midtown, Moore, N Penn, Midwest City, & Yukon! View Locations
Call Now: (405) 943-0303
Mon - Thu: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Friday: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

AUTO INJURY?

Make Appointment
Home
Headaches
Should You “Wait And See” After A Car Accident

Should You "Wait And See" After A Car Accident?:

When should you see a doctor after a car accident?

If you’ve just been in a car accident, one of the most common things I hear from patients is, “I feel okay right now—do I really need to see a doctor?” As a physician who treats auto accident injuries, my answer is almost always yes, you should be evaluated as soon as possible, even if your symptoms seem mild or haven’t appeared yet. Taking the “wait and see” approach may cause you to miss an optimal window for treatment. Patients often feel worse on the third or fourth day – often causing patients to have linger with pain over the weekend.

After a collision, your body is flooded with adrenaline. This stress response can temporarily mask pain, stiffness, headaches, and neurological symptoms. It’s very common for patients to feel “fine” at the scene, only to wake up days later with significant neck pain, back pain, dizziness, numbness, or difficulty concentrating. Injuries such as whiplash, concussions, disc injuries, and soft-tissue damage often do not show immediate symptoms, but they can worsen quickly if left untreated. Your Brooks Clinic doctor is an expert in accident care and has likely treated hundreds – if not thousands of accident injury patients. 

Ideally, you should see an auto accident doctor within 24–72 hours after the crash. Early evaluation allows us to identify hidden injuries, document your condition accurately, and begin treatment before inflammation and compensation patterns set in. Delaying care can make injuries harder to treat and prolong recovery. And your documentation is very important as well. The insurance company will want to see that you sought treatment as soon as the pain began. 

It’s natural for you to think that the pain will ease up over the next couple of days – and that does happen sometimes. It’s much more likely that you will feel complex symptoms as the inflammation and associated tissue damage starts to change. You should seek medical attention immediately if you experience:

• Neck or back pain or stiffness

• Headaches, dizziness, or nausea

• Tingling, numbness, or weakness in your arms or legs

• Shoulder, hip, or joint pain

• Memory issues, confusion, or sensitivity to light

• Pain that worsens over time

Even low-speed accidents can cause serious injury. Modern vehicles absorb impact differently, and your body still experiences sudden acceleration and deceleration forces that strain muscles, ligaments, and nerves.

TAKE THE NEXT STEP

If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident, don’t guess about your symptoms—get evaluated by specialists who understand auto injury care. The Brooks Clinic Auto Injury Experts provide comprehensive diagnostics and personalized treatment designed specifically for accident victims. You’ll get a fast, same day appointment and get on your way to healing.

Call The Brooks Clinic today at (405) 943-0303 or complete the form below to schedule your examination and protect your health, your recovery, and your legal rights. We’ll be there every step of the way to help you recover

Appointment Request Form

Get Immediate Help 24/7!