Back and neck injuries are extremely common in car accidents; however, there is a lot of confusion regarding the symptoms of the different types of spinal injuries. Are the symptoms caused by the car accident or by a preexisting spinal problem? It’s important to distinguish between the various spinal issues such as spinal cord injuries, herniated disc, bulged disc, soft-tissue injuries, and whiplash injuries, especially since they have overlapping symptoms like pain, muscle weakness, numbness, and tingling. In this article, our Eason and Tambornini spinal cord injury attorneys will discuss some of the typical symptoms of these types of injuries.
A spinal cord injury is a severe form of spinal problem. It is commonly caused by trauma to the spinal cord such as blunt force to the back, vehicular accidents, falling off of high places, and recreation and sports injuries. It can also be caused by chronic medical illnesses such as osteoporosis and cancer.
Depending on the level and severity of the spinal cord injury, the symptoms can range anywhere from complete paralysis of the neck, trunk, and all limbs to complete paralysis of the lower trunk, pelvic region, and lower limbs. There may also be complete or partial loss of sensation below the level of the injury with intense pain along the length of the damaged nerves. Breathing, coughing, bowel and bladder functions, and sexual health may also be affected if the nerves supplying these regions are damaged.
The symptoms can be temporary or permanent. If the damage is permanent and debilitating, the patient will need full assistance with his activities of daily living.
Disc bulge and herniated disc are problems of the spine that affect the intervertebral discs. The discs are located between the vertebral bodies of the spine. They cushion the bones and prevent them from grating against each other. They also function as shock absorbers as the spine moves.
If the lower spine is affected, symptoms include a sharp, burning pain that radiates to the buttocks and down the thigh, the calf, and sometimes the foot as well as numbness and tingling in these areas. If the upper spine has bulging or herniated discs, the pain radiates to the shoulder and down the arm and fingertips, together with numbness and tingling sensations. There may also be muscle weakness in the affected regions.
The symptoms are temporary and usually affect only one side of the body. They can be relieved by medications, proper exercise, and diet, as well as weight loss and maintenance of ideal weight. Surgery may be performed for severe cases to relieve symptoms.
Whiplash is an affectation of the soft tissues of the neck, often caused by the sudden snapping of the head backward and forward, such as in rear-end accidents. The sudden movement elongates the neck’s soft tissues, causing cervical strain and sprain, pain, and muscle spasms. In addition to these symptoms, there will also be tenderness on the neck and shoulder regions, swelling of the neck, and limited neck range of motions.
Severe whiplash injuries can also result in nerve irritation, vision problems, as well as ringing in the ears or tinnitus. There may also be dizziness, headaches, jaw tightness, and chewing problems.
While most whiplash and neck soft tissue injuries go away after some time, some can be permanent. Besides chiropractic care and physical therapy, medications like painkillers, muscle relaxants, and NSAIDs can help decrease pain and swelling. Rest, cold compress, massage, and simple neck exercises also help.
What can you do?
Neck injuries, especially severe ones like spinal cord injury, can be pretty debilitating and may need long-term medications and therapy. These neck injuries can keep you from enjoying life and prevent you from going to work. Your pain and suffering can also keep you up at night and contribute to the worsening of your pre-existing medical conditions. If you have suffered a spinal cord injury, or believe you may have a bulged or herniated disc, or have soft-tissue injury sustained at work or caused by the negligent actions of another person, then feel free to get in touch with us. We hope you will consider contacting one of our Eason and Tambornini personal injury or workers’ compensation attorneys for a free consultation. So call us now, and our Eason and Tambornini Sacramento spinal cord injury attorney will discuss with you your legal options.
