Neck and Back
The impact from a car accidentcan have an immediate effect on your body. What happens at the actual time of impact is called a whiplash. A whiplash can cause neck and back pain. Your body can undergo much more bodily injury but here are the top #2 injuries suffered from a car accident.
#1: Neck (Cervical) Injury
The most common complaint after suffering an auto accident is neck pain. But why is that? It’s called a whiplash. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, like the cracking of a whip. Whiplash most often occurs during a rear-end auto accident, but the injury can also result from a sports accident, physical abuse or other trauma.”
Common symptoms of neck pain include:
- shoulderpain,
- headaches,
- dizziness,
- inability to remember certain things,
- tingling in the shoulder and neck,
- fatigue, insomnia, depression and ringing of the ears among others symptoms.
More chronic injury can include cervical disc herniations. According to the University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, a “Herniated disc, commonly known as a slipped disc, is a condition in which the central part of the intervertebral disc protrudes into the spinal canal. This typically occurs due to a tear in the tough fibrous annular ring that surrounds a soft inner core, resulting in herniation of the softer material. Aging is the most common cause;however trauma can also cause disc herniations.”
#2 Back (Lumbar) Injury
In addition to a neck injury, back injuriesare also a common effect after an auto accident. The back, referred to as the Lumbar, is comprised of 5 discs, L1 through L5.
According to Mayo Clinic, the most common symptoms of back pain include:
- Muscle ache,
- Shooting or stabbing pain,
- Pain that radiates down your leg,
- Pain that worsens with bending, lifting, standing or walking,
- Pain that improves with reclining.
More chronic injury can include lumbar disc herniations. According to the University of Florida, College of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, a“Herniated disc, commonly known as slipped or ruptured disc, is a condition in which the central part of the intervertebral disc protrudes into the spinal canal. This typically occurs due to a tear in the tough fibrous annular ring that surrounds the soft inner core of the disc. This results in herniation of the softer material (the nucleus pulposus) into the spinal canal. Aging and trauma can predispose to disc herniations. Most commonly disc herniations occur in the lowermost part of the spine, especially between the 4th and 5th lumbar vertebral bodies, and between the 5th lumbar vertebral body and the sacrum. This protrusion usually occurs to one side of the spinal canal, compressing one of the nerve roots. Impingement on the nerve causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the part of the skin and muscle that are supplied by that particular nerve root.”
Conclusion
A healthy spine allows you to play with your kids, exercise and do chores around the house. Unfortunately, a car accident can cause a healthy spine to go bad. A bad neck or back can be disruptive to you and those around you.
If you have suffered a car accident, we can help. We are personal injury trial lawyers and will take cases before a jury of your peers. Insurance companies take us seriously and it helps us fight to obtain the maximum possible compensation for our clients.
Contact us for a free and confidential consultation to discuss your personal injury auto accident claim. It does not cost you anything to hire us. We are compensated only if we get compensation for you.
