A car collision can cause muscle and ligament strains and sprains, disk injuries and spinal cord trauma. Back injuries can cause chronic pain, while spinal cord damage can result in paralysis and loss of sensation.
It is likely that someone with a back injury will miss many days of work and may even be unable to resume the same career as before the injury. When a person’s livelihood is threatened, the whole family’s well-being is placed at risk.
After a car accident, a person with a back injury might have to retrain for a new line of work. Anyone in this situation may justifiably feel apprehensive and doubtful about the future.
In these circumstances, a consultation with a capable legal professional can be very reassuring. A lawsuit to recover financial damages due to this kind of common car crash injury might be the best course of action. More information here @ https://caraccidentattorneysa.com/
Herniated Disk Is One Kind Of Back Injury
The spinal column or backbone is made up of a series of vertebrae that enclose and protect the vital nerves in the spinal cord. Disks made of a resilient material cushion the spaces between the vertebrae, allowing the spine to bend and flex. Large nerves branch from the spinal cord in these spaces.
Sudden violent force in an auto accident can force a disk out of place. This kind of back injury is known as a herniated disk, sometimes called a slipped disk. Herniated disks most commonly occur in the lower part of the back, called the lumbar region.
A slipped disk can affect the back in several ways. Bending the spine can become difficult or painful. Nerves can be pinched or pressed, leading to numbness or weakness in the back. The injured person may experience painful back spasms.
Slipped Disk Effects And Treatment
A herniated disk in the lumbar region could cause pain in one or both legs, even down to the calf and the sole of the foot. The affected leg may feel numb or weak, and the same symptoms might also affect the hips or buttocks. An injured person might find it difficult to sit, so this kind of back injury could make a return to a desk job difficult, let alone performing physical labor.
After a car accident, treatment for a slipped disk begins with rest and pain medication. Doctors often prescribe no steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for long-term pain relief, using narcotic drugs as necessary for acute pain. Muscle relaxants can help relieve muscle spasms.
People may worry about taking pain medications for an extended period of time with good reason, as they pose the risk of developing a dependence on narcotics.
Spinal Cord Injuries
If the spinal cord is damaged, the injury can diminish or cut off the brain’s signals that direct movement and enable sensations. The effects depend on where the injury is and whether the spinal cord is bruised, partly severed or completely cut through.
Depending on where in the back the spinal cord is damaged, paralysis and numbness can occur below the level of the injury. With a low back injury, the legs can be affected. The spinal cord can also be damaged much higher up due to a neck injury, in which case the torso and all four limbs could be paralyzed.
Spinal cord injuries are a serious potential consequence of a car accident. Anyone who suffers this kind of injury needs information about recovering financial damages, especially if another driver has been negligent. Click on this link for more information
