Across the United States, millions of people are either severely injured or killed in car accidents each year. According to the National Safety Council, there were roughly 4.6 cases of drivers becoming seriously injured in 2016. Generally speaking, the severity of car accidents usually depend on the type of accident at hand, but even small automobile accidents can cause traumatic of nearly fatal injuries that require immediate medical assistance.
However, there are a number of body parts that can experience symptoms and become severely injured, even a few days after the accident. Primarily neck and back injuries occur due to serious car accidents.
Common Neck and Back Injuries from Car Accidents
It’s no surprise that neck and back injuries can occur from serious car accidents, but they can also happen in minor accidents as well. Below, we’ll discuss some of the most common neck and back injuries a person can experience from a car accident, from orthopedic damage to severe damage to tendons, muscles, and ligaments that can impact your own skeletal system.
- Whiplash
Sudden head movements, such as shaking from back to back or side to side can cause severe damage to connective tissues and damage to your ligaments and muscles, from your neck to your upper back, called whiplash. Whiplash usually occurs from rear-end car accidents.
- Bone Fractures
Bone fractures occur when the force of another car leads to broken bones. Collarbone and facial fractures are the most common in this category of injury.
- Disc Injuries
A severe car accident can cause parts of your spine to shift out of place. Disk injuries, such as bulging, slipped, or even ruptured disks can cause serious pain and injury to your body.
- Acute Mechanical Back Pain
Acute mechanical back pain is severe damage to your vertebrae, spinal joints, socks, and other supporting structures, which can be caused by any variation of car accident on the road.
Symptoms of Neck and Back Injuries from Car Accidents
Depending on what kind of injury you have, your symptoms can change from case to case. However, a medical professional such as a doctor can help determine what kind of injury you have from your symptoms or medical testing and can explain what your treatment plan should be.
Below, is a list of the most common symptoms of neck and back pain you can experience after an accident, in which you should get checked out by a doctor.
- General pain in the neck, back, shoulders, and head
- Headaches
- Difficulty focusing
- Vertigo
- Restricted motion or lack of mobility
- Bruising, redness, swelling, or inflammation
- Unusual burning sensation or numbness
What to Do After a Car Accident
If you or a loved one is ever injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is crucial that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. Follow every piece of medical advice that your doctor offers you in order to speed up your recovery and limit any additional pain or discomfort. This is as important for your personal health as it is for your legal case, should you choose to file a claim against the at-fault driver.
Follow these simple steps for a speedy recovery:
- When you first begin to notice any symptoms of a neck or back injury, head into the ER or to visit your regular doctor. Sometimes, symptoms do not appear right away, so this doctor’s visit may not occur until weeks after the incident.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan as closely as possible. You should also keep a record of your symptoms every day. Take note of any change in the severity of pain, if there are any triggers to the discomfort, the time of day when symptoms are worst, and if an activity makes you feel worse.
- Keep your records, as well as any official medical records and treatment plans. These are good to have for your personal records and they may come in handy when filing a legal case.
- Contact a professional personal injury attorney to discuss your options moving forward.
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