Many global accidents get tackled somewhat effectively, but road accidents are a problem that still needs care and attention. Common road accident injuries that most of us get to see frequently include lower back pain, disc herniation, and whiplash injury. Perhaps we find ourselves thinking that such post-accident injuries have a common leading cause. And this thought would stop the need for us to get into the nitty-gritty, but it is sadly far from the truth. Post-collision accidents have a mind of their own because you cannot pinpoint one factor that causes their occurrence. The idea negates the common notion that the frequency of automobile accidents relies upon a person’s height.
Let us first understand the surface definitions of each of these accidents. Whiplash accidents and disc herniation relate to the tearing of muscles and joints. Victims face symptoms within 24 hours of the onslaught of the mishap. These signs include spontaneous surges of pain in the neck, and a loss of feeling, along with tingling sensations felt in several areas of the body. Continue reading the blog further if you wish to have a more holistic hold on the topic of accidental injuries and a guide on how to go about curing them while still achieving a speedy recovery.
So How Does One Understand Disc Herniation?
A trained practitioner at a car accident clinic must first be wary of any signs of discomfort to the patient post-accident. The paragraph below describes what disc herniation pertains to and why it needs to get diagnosed and treated immediately.
The spinal cord is a crucial feature of the human body that mitigates shock levels due to sudden collisions. These collisions can occur because of diffident mishaps, be it an automobile accident or falling on your back from a height. The role played by the spinal cord to minimize the impact comes from the discs contained inside the bones surrounding it.
On the other hand, a herniated or slipped disc is unlike any regular disk, and that causes discomfort to the patient. When a disc slips, the damaged annulus in the herniated disc causes the disc nucleus to penetrate through its outer layer. It then gets embedded into the spinal canal, which is too thin a channel to contain it. Hence, the misalignments of the discs from their usual positions make it very difficult for the narrow spinal canal to hold the disc nucleus as it should. Due to inadequacy of space, the spinal nerves get squashed and cause rising pain levels in the lower back or neck areas. This compressing of the spinal nerves eventually causes pain surges in the neck and lower back region. What is alarming about these pain surges is how miserable they can make the victim feel, and therefore, one must go to the doctor immediately if they face such a threat.
Common Causes of Disc Herniation
Direct Injury
It is a general fact that automobile accidents are the biggest threat to anyone driving a four-wheeler, or even less, on a busy street. Hence, we must know such causes so as not to fall a witness to them again. Car accidents can cause long-term trauma and discomfort post-injury.
In most cases, the spine gets put under high amounts of pressure. And if the injury does not get handled with care, it can be a potential hazard in causing a disc herniation.
Other Post-Accident Injuries
However, automobile accidents are still not the sole proprietor for car accidents and slipped discs. Stumbling or dropping from a high pace, especially on your neck or back region, have proven as other potential causes. Furthermore, factors such as negligence or distraction during driving become a reason for mishaps. Football teams that have inadequate funds do not impose strict rules or safety precautions get ignored on the field. It increases the chance of accidents and knee or neck injuries, and in severe cases, surgical intervention is the only way to go.
Signs That Help Spot a Herniated Disc
You can find common symptoms below that an accident injury doctor typically looks for at a car accident clinic.
• Chronic pain felt in the arms, feet, shoulders, thighs, buttocks, and the calves
• A tingling or prickling feeling in several body parts, or a loss of sensation in others
• Difficulty in walking and faltering more often because of a lack of balance
• feeling lethargic throughout the day
• Spontaneous surges of burning sensations at affected areas
• Severe pain in the lower back, towards the lower regions of the spine
• Fluctuating levels of pain experienced in the neck and areas around the shoulder blades
Post-Accident Treatments
Car Accident Pain Management broadly gets divided into two categories: non-surgical and surgical intervention.
Non-Surgical Treatments
Non-surgical treatment plans work best for people who do not wish to undergo surgery. Exercises prescribed by doctors include yoga and stretching to relax the tensed muscles. These workouts are especially effective as they reduce the possibility of the patients bound to their beds. Therefore, it prevents excessive swelling around the spinal nerves or bedsores due to immobility.
Pharmaceutical drugs also get prescribed along with these regimes. These have anti-inflammatory properties and have proven effective for those suffering from mild to severe back pain. Not just this, but these remedies also include epidural injections, X-rays, and spinal needles to ease the pain. Spinal needs play a significant role in making sure the medicine reaches all the affected areas of the body. Physical therapy such as ice and heat treatments also brings relief.
Spinal Disc Surgery
Spinal Disc Surgery proves effective for severe cases where the remedies described above fail to work. The symptoms listed below indicate that the patient needs serious intervention.
• When the social, as well as the daily life of an individual, gets negatively affected
• Muscles get weakened, and frequent numbing of legs experienced
• Bladder dysfunction
• walking, standing, or balancing becomes a task
• Where methods such as medication and physical treatment fail to ease pain
Other Injuries
Whiplash Injury and Treatment
Whiplash injury is another common phenomenon to study when analyzing road accidents. It occurs because of the sudden jerk felt in the neck region that causes ligaments in the area to become stiff. Since the neck leads down into the spinal cord, the spine gets pushed into an irregular S-shape that weakens ligaments around it.
Underlying Symptoms of Whiplash Injury
Symptoms listed below for whiplash injury evolve within the first 24 hours of the accident.
• Pain in the jaw area
• Dizziness
• Blurry vision
• Lower back pain
• Shoulder pain on both the sides
• A comparative gain in stiffness relative to before
• Ringing sounds in ears
• A numbing feeling witnessed in several parts of the body
• Extreme exhaustion
Curing whiplash injuries is relatively simple. Easy-to-do daily exercises are usually the way to lower damage to the muscles.
Last Thoughts
In conclusion, if we implement precautions more strongly while driving, we can save ourselves from this hassle. However, you must head to your nearest chiropractor and seek treatment once the damage gets done.
Thank you for reading!
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