Regardless of whether the accident is minor or serious, collisions are inherently stressful events. According to the Cleveland Clinic, stressful events can cause nausea. Therefore, you might not think twice about vomiting during or immediately after a car accident.
While stress vomiting is usually nothing to worry about, other types of vomiting can be indicative of potentially life-threatening medical conditions. Because you cannot distinguish between ordinary vomiting and something considerably more serious, it is critical to go to the emergency room.
Internal injuries
Your body’s vital organs sit inside your torso. This is the same part of your body that your seat belt crosses, so a locked-up seat belt can damage your liver, stomach, kidneys or other organs during a car accident. Internal organ damage can cause both nausea and vomiting.
Traumatic brain injuries
If you hit your head during a car accident, you may suffer a traumatic brain injury. Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms of these injuries. In fact, feeling sick to your stomach may be one of the earliest indicators of head trauma.
Nerve injuries
Car accidents are a leading cause of spinal cord injuries and nerve damage. Just like with a traumatic brain injury, nerve injuries can cause your stomach to turn. If your vomiting comes with numbness or a tingling sensation anywhere in your body, your car accident may have injured an important part of your nervous system.
For some reason, vomiting can be awkward. Ultimately, though, because your prognosis may depend on receiving prompt medical attention, you should not let embarrassment keep you from obtaining a complete evaluation.