3 Signs You May Have Sustained a Herniated Disc Injury During a Car Accident

Herniated disc injury does not only result from general wear and tear or from aging. Any unnatural stress or pressure on the spine can cause the disc's outer ring to bulge or break. This is exactly what happens during a car crash.

At the time of a collision the spine bears a large amount of the impact which causes the intervertebral disc to move away from its original position. This can irritate the surrounding nerves and lead to pain in either the back or the neck.

The region of the pain depends on which part of the spine has been injured. To be sure of the extent of your injury it is prudent to visit a car accident injury doctor near you immediately after a car crash.

The entire spinal column is made up of 33 vertebrae to which are firmly attached the intervertebral discs. These discs between every vertebrae act as cushions and avoid the vertebrae from rubbing against each other.

During a collision these cushion-like discs can either shift a little from their original area of attachment or if the impact is big the disc may rupture causing its contents to spill and pinch or push against the surrounding nerves. This pinching of the nerves leads to severe shooting pains in the arms or legs depending on whether it is the cervical spine that has suffered trauma or whether it is the thoracic or lumbar spine.

3 Signs That Suggest Herniated Disc Injury

1.       Back/Neck Pain

During a car crash both your cervical spine and the lumbar spine are vulnerable to injury. If there is a herniated disc in your cervical spine you will experience immense pain with a lot of the pain from the neck radiating down your shoulders and arms.

Any injury to your lumbar spine will cause the pain to radiate down to your buttocks and legs. One example is the sciatic nerve pain. It is a sharp and usually shooting pain that radiates down the leg from the buttock.

Herniated discs can lead to pinching of nerves in most cases and that can result in prolonged pain episodes. Sometimes due to the immense pain you may not move about much which in the long term can result in weakness of that area or cause muscular atrophy.

2.       Numbness or Tingling

Both numbness and tingling result when a nerve is involved. At the time of injury the herniated disc can lead to nerve compression. In some severe cases of a bulging disc, it can cause nerve impulses to get cut off which could in some cases causes permanent nerve damage.

Some car accident victims also experience incontinence, irregular bowel movements, or even partial paralysis due to nerve damage. The tingling and numbness that results from a herniated disc can also cause muscle weakness, especially when there is severe damage to any nerve.

3.       Muscle Weakness

Herniated discs resulting from car accident injury also cause muscle spasms and weakness. Any injury to the intervertebral disc and the supporting ligaments can cause the surrounding muscles to tighten and go into spasm. The resulting pain from these spasms can restrict mobility both in the upper and lower extremities, making standing and walking extremely difficult.

Never Delay a Chiropractic Visit

The moment you are involved in a crash it is best to get yourself checked by a car accident injury doctor near you. Do not wait it out or assume the pain will go away. Even if the pain subsides a bit from self-remedies, the extent of the injury that is for now unknown to you can become worse and even turn chronic. It is best to let your chiropractor diagnose and evaluate your injuries; never self-diagnose.

A herniated disc injury no matter severe or not, should never be taken lightly. An immediate chiropractic evaluation after a car accident is the best care you can give to your injuries. Delaying a checkup can also hurt your personal injury claim.

Your insurance company may decide to not pay the entire amount assuming your pain was not severe enough to warrant timely medical attention. To know more about the several treatment options available you can call 305-928-2828 and speak to our experienced chiropractic experts today.