Hi I Was In A Car Accident Two Weeks Ago

Posted on Mon, 16 Dec 2019

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 Answered on

Last reviewed on

Question : Hi I was in a car accident two weeks ago and blacked out. Went to the hospital said I had a head bleed and a very bad concussion. I was in a neck brace for 9 hours before they took it off. They never done a MRI just a cat scan and they said my brain has stopped bleeding but still had very bad concussion and sent me home. Was in awful pain on my ride home and forgot who my mother was. I was in extreme pain that night I went home. I took Tylenol PM and went to sleep. Had a doctors appointment that next day. She sent me back to the hospital for another Cat Scan to be done. They said my head stopped bleeding just very bad concussion. Still was in a lot of pain and no muscle relaxers. A week goes by my headaches are getting worse and the back of my neck is starting to hurt badly. Went back to the doctors told me I needed to follow up with a neurologist. I can’t get into the neurologist until February. I went back to the hospital because I couldn’t stand the pain headaches and neck pain. My eye balls were different shapes. Said they couldn’t find anything on the CT wouldn’t do MRI. I’m still having horrible horrible headaches from the back to the sides of my head. Any ideas?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Erion Spaho (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Since the symptoms are persistent you should get reevaluated.

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor " service.

I have read your query.

CT scan is the appropriate imaging study when it comes to head and brain injury in the first days.

MRI is reserved for cases that the CT scan results are inconclusive regarding the diagnosis, or, in cases of spinal cord injury.

If you had bleeding in the CT scan the diagnosis is clear and includes traumatic brain injury.

In such case treatment and observation in hospital for few days is necessary.

For the neck pain, besides pain medication, you can use a soft cervical collar for a couple of weeks.

Since you are experiencing neck pain and your symptoms are persisting, an MRI of your cervical spine and brain may be of value in regards of the diagnosis two weeks after trauma.

Discuss with your Doctor for these issues.

Hope you found the answer helpful.

Let me know if I can assist you further.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad