Nobody likes to be on the wrong side of a car accident. However, it is a situation many people find themselves in now and then. This occurrence is increasingly frequent for the inhabitants of Stockbridge, where car accident cases are on the rise. Many of these crashes may leave your back in a sorry state, one of the most vulnerable parts of your body. Even though many complications can arise, people do not understand the importance of rushing to the hospital. For receiving the appropriate car accident treatment, you have to know what’s causing your symptoms. So let’s take a closer look at the different types of back injuries in car crashes.
Types of back injuries
Car accident back injuries sometimes need lengthy and pricey medical care. You may also have long-term pain and suffering as a result of these wounds. A car collision can result in various forms of back injuries.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a non-medical terminology for many cervical injuries caused by or linked to an abrupt neck dislocation. The name “cervical acceleration-deceleration” (CAD) refers to the injury’s mechanism, while “whiplash-associated disorders” (WAD) refer to the consequences.
Whiplash injuries result from an abrupt extension and flexion of the cervical vertebrae, spraining the nuchal ligament and anterior longitudinal ligament. It is an impulsive retraction of the spine, namely the anterior longitudinal ligament, which rips when the head jerks forward and back again.
Sufferers describe discomfort and aching in the neck and back, referred pain to the shoulders, sensory disruption in the arms and legs (such as pins and needles), and headaches. Symptoms might occur immediately after an injury, but they are typically not noticed for days.
Spinal fractures
A spinal fracture is breakage or displacement of the vertebrae (backbone) anywhere along the spine. These incidents can result in various injuries, from minor muscle and ligament strains to more severe fractures and spinal cord injuries. Minor spine fractures are treatable with rest and medicine, but more traumatic fractures may need spinal cord surgery to realign the vertebrae. These fractures, if left untreated, can result in irreversible spinal cord injury, nerve impairment, and paralysis.
The types of spinal fractures are as follows:
- Compression fracture: Compression fractures, which are tiny cracks or fissures along the spine, are one kind of spinal fracture. In the region of this fracture, you may suffer pain or other symptoms. Pain may worsen while you sit or move, as well as with breathing. Compression fractures can also cause bladder problems, numbness, and muscular weakness.
- Axial burst fracture: Burst fractures occur when the posterior vertebral body cortex undergoes disruption and retropulsion into the spinal canal resulting from high-energy axial loading spinal trauma.
- Chance fracture: A fracture triggered by the vertebrae tearing apart from a severe forward flexion. An automobile collision is the most common cause of a chance fracture.
Herniated disc
In an accident, the discs that cushion the vertebrae in the spine experience a lot of stress. The discs may move as a result of the strain, squeezing nerves and producing pain and insensitivity. A herniated disc is the medical term for this type of damage. Other than that, a bulging, ruptured, or slipping disc is another name for this sort of injury.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis, despite its odd name, is a frequent ailment that occurs after a vehicle collision. A stress fracture causes spondylolisthesis, which arises when a vertebra moves out of its normal position. It can result in pinched or compressed nerves down the spine, causing intense stabs of discomfort in patients. These victims will then suffer from chronic pain, trouble in walking, unexpected fatigue, and hypersensitivity.
Spinal stenosis
While a car crash does not generally induce spinal stenosis, it might lead a person with asymptomatic spinal stenosis to experience symptoms. Trauma may lead you to experience symptoms many years earlier than natural. A spinal expert can assess whether a vehicle accident accelerated the symptoms of spinal stenosis and offer treatment choices.
Spinal cord injuries
The most devastating back injury a person may have in a car collision is spinal cord damage. One of the most vital components of the body is the spinal cord. Even a slight cut can result in impairment or paralysis for the rest of one’s life. Damage to the spinal cord in a vehicle accident frequently leaves victims paraplegic and needing accident injury treatment.
Visiting a doctor
After going through a car accident, many people underestimate the significance of medical intervention. However, timely care and treatment can help avoid more problematic complications in the future. Understandably so, one may visit an orthopedic doctor in Stockbridge, GA.
First of all, the medical professional will have a quick verbal exchange with you. After managing your pain, there will be screening tests, such as X-rays and CT scans, for ruling out other car accident injuries. Once the diagnosis is over, you can move on to receiving treatment for your back.
Treatment options
If your back injury has left you with chronic back pain, there are many possible treatment options.
Physical therapy
The basis of chronic back pain therapy is exercise. Under the supervision of your physician and a spine physical therapist, it’s one of the first remedies you may attempt. However, not everyone responds to the same series of exercises. The workouts need customization for your specific symptoms and condition. Maintaining a home workout regimen is also crucial to success. You may also go for the deep tissue massage therapy. The important of this therapy is that it wonderfully works on the over tensed muscles and provide immediate relief. You can easily use this therapy on your own by using a muscle massager gun like Exogun DreamPro.
Meditation
Chronic back pain is stressful, both emotionally and physically. A rehabilitation psychologist may help you cope with the frustration, irritation, sadness, and other psychological effects of chronic pain. To distract your mind from focusing on this discomfort, this professional may prescribe meditation, yoga, and other behavioral and calming therapies.
Diet and lifestyle changes
Some diets, specifically those abundant in trans fats, refined carbohydrates, and processed foods, are very inflammatory. Consult a doctor to determine if your diet is contributing to your chronic back pain and, if so, what you can do about it. Maintaining a healthy weight might also aid with back pain relief by lowering the pressure on your spine.
When an individual suffers chronic pain, they must accept and adjust to the body’s limits. Make a list of the activities that aggravate your discomfort and try to avoid them if at all practical. It might not only make your back feel better, but it could also stop the underlying issue from worsening. Giving up smoking is another essential lifestyle adjustment. Nicotine has been shown in studies to exacerbate pain and slow recovery.
Injection-based treatment
Chronic back pain is treatable using nerve blocks, epidural steroid injections, and other injection-based interventions. After identifying the source of pain, they can rule out suspected causes if the treatment fails. Injections may temporarily relieve or eliminate pain, but they are not a long-term solution.
Alternative treatments
Non-surgical spine therapies can help with persistent back pain. These may include acupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, and other spinal treatments.
Pain medications
Your pain can undergo management with analgesics, anti-inflammatory medicines, muscle relaxants, and other medication. However, the majority of them have unpleasant side effects and are not for long-term usage.
Final thoughts
There is no doubt that car crashes can leave your back in a sorry state. If you happen to suffer any such incident in Stockbridge, make sure to seek immediate medical assistance.
