One of the most difficult and painful injuries from many types of accidents are those that affect a person’s back. From bruising and bursitis to complete paralysis, back injuries can mean a lifetime of pain and disability to someone.
A back injury can cause significant disruptions in your daily life. It’s one of the most common reasons for missed work or school and disabilities. Pain from a back injury can leave you unable to sit, stand or walk around, and may inhibit your ability to work.
Sometimes sleeping or a wrong move can lead to back pain. But car accidents are the most common cause of back injuries. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and bicyclists can all experience back injuries in an accident. A slip and fall accident frequently leads to back injuries or the person who pays more attention to their phone than where they are walking.
These are some of the most common back injuries in the US.
Fractures
While osteoporosis can cause a fracture, they are most commonly from a traumatic event like a fall or a car, or another accident. They can be compression fractures, when the bones break while being pushed together, or burst fractures, where bone fragments shatter out into the surrounding tissues, including the spinal cord and nerves. In a fracture-dislocation, the damaged ligaments allow the bones to slide away from each other.
Movement may be painful and limited. Treatments range from bedrest and pain treatment to surgery and/or steroid injections.
Back pain following any kind of accident may be initially treated with over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs or ice packs. But the pain that does not subside after these home treatments should be seen by a physician.
Herniated Discs
Accidents can also cause damage to the strong disks in between the vertebra in the back, leaving them to slip out of place. Car accidents fall, sports accidents and other sudden strikes can knock the discs out of their normal alignment. While some victims may not experience pain, others may begin feeling pain if the disc begins pressing on the spinal nerves.
Herniated discs are frequently treated with bed rest, medications, physical therapy, and corticosteroid injections. Patients who have nerve damage and pain may also need surgery that’s minimally invasive to repair or remove the offending disc.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Anyone who has experienced a whiplash injury after an accident understands soft tissue injuries. While whiplash is commonly a neck injury, accidents can also lead to similar injuries in the back.
Strains happen when tendons and muscles tear or stretch too far, while a sprain is the same condition in ligaments. Both can leave you with severe back pain and leave you unable to move.
These injuries are usually treated at home with the application of heat and ice, as well as rest to avoid pain and re-injury.
Aftermath of Back Injuries
Paralysis is the most common result of a back injury but isn’t the only one.
Because the spine is the literal lifeline of the entire body, back injuries can lead to other types of physical symptoms, including:
- Bladder control issues
- Circulation problems
- Chronic pain
- Respiratory issues
- Depression, anxiety, and other mental issues
Some injuries can eventually become fatal, such as damage to the high cervical nerves (C1 through C4). Injuries to this area usually lead to a coma or a lifetime dependency on a ventilator, and usually end in early death.
Houston Back Injury Attorney
Back injuries after an accident can completely upend your life and leave you with mounting medical bills while you’re unable to work. Let us deal with the legal case while you concentrate on healing your back injury and taking care of yourself.
Contact Paxton Law Firm today, and we’ll review your case and advise you of your rights. The Paxton Law Firm believes in taking the stress of dealing with your legal battles and turning a negative situation into the best possible outcome. We offer free consultations, and you do not pay any legal fees until we recover for you. Call us at 281-978-2244, or use our website contact form to get in touch.