Pain

i was in a car accident late January, and the effects of it came to knock me in the head only recently. it didn't help that i fell on my head in martial arts class and added a small concussion to the ever-present tension headache. my brain felt swollen and would pulsate consistently day in and day out despite a high dose of ibuprofen. still, i dealt with the pain for about 5 days before accepting that i needed to see a doctor. everything went pretty smoothly, and based on the neurological exam, he decided i just needed a little time to rest and some muscle relaxers to help ease the pain and get my blood pressure back up. it's just that, this is kind of new to me; this idea that when you get sick you see a doctor...he gives you pills to take...the end. i couldn't afford being a hypochondriac until i got health insurance. i was accustomed to drinking an assortment of teas and lighting candles to cure my ailments. how long do you wait before you see a doctor? thinking about it now, 5 days of pain is a lot to put up with, but if i went after the first day of pain, i would feel like i was being dramatic. with how much pain should you put up?