It is common to have soft tissue injures after a car accident. Some people experience pain in the neck area or the lower back days or weeks after a crash. Although paramedics can check a person at the scene of an accident, these injuries can be exacerbated by performing normal chores or daily activities. For that reason, it may not be realized until days or weeks after an auto accident that there is a problem, issue, concern, or serious injury in the neck and lower back areas. Neck and lower back pain or injuries are expected after a major collision. It is always better to be checked out by medical personnel to ensure no issue in these sensitive areas of the body. These injuries can be painful, annoying and may need to be treated over many weeks or months to find relief after a car accident. Read more below about what’s causing neck and lower back pain after a car accident.
Soft-Tissue Injuries of the Neck
During an auto accident, a person’s neck may sustain a strain or sprain or may become jostled from front to back, sustaining an injury after a car crash. In low-velocity rear-end collisions, the injuries are often referred to as whiplash injuries of the neck. Some people suffer long-term effects of soft tissue neck injuries and may need a medical care management plan that includes medication, pain relief, rehabilitation, and bed rest to find relief from these painful injuries.
Lower-Back Injuries
Many people who have been in car accidents will also experience a back or lumbosacral spine injury that may cause residual pain for the individual after the accident. Other lower back injuries after a car accident include:
- Shooting back pain
- Numbness and bruising
- Loss of range of motion in the back
- Loss of strength and function
- Back stiffness
- Disc and joint injuries
- Back sprains and strains
- Fractures in the back
- Aggravation of pre-existing back injuries or conditions
Other Factors Contributing to Neck and Lower Back Pain
When a person complains of neck or back pain after a car accident, the pain may radiate from the neck to the back and vice versa – making it difficult to receive a proper diagnosis for the individual after this type of injury and loss. In other words, it is possible for the neck and back to both be hurt after a car accident, with other physical signs of associated pain, such as:
- Stiffness
- Tenderness
- Decreased range of motion
- Sensory deficits
- Deep tendon reflex absences
- Weakness
- Fractures
- Dislocation
- Facet joint weakness
The Reason for a Neck and Lower Back Injury
Neck and back pains can develop after a car accident because, during the accident, shear forces affect the person’s neck and back in a vehicle involved in a crash. The injures often result when a person’s body is thrown forcefully and pushed forward and upward, while the neck, head, and back typically remain in a stationary position. Neck and back pains can prevent a person from sitting, standing, or sleeping comfortably and can inhibit the person’s ability to work, drive, or care for family responsibilities.
Spine-Related Injuries
Anytime a person has experienced pain in the lower back, there is a concern that the spin may be injured. Spinal injuries can be serious and can result in a permanent disability. Spinal injuries also will require additional surgeries and can mean that the person has to change how life is lived after the car accident.
Herniated and Slipped Discs
A herniated disc occurs when the soft tissue held between the discs of the spine begins to come out and press on nearby nerves in the back. The pain is often diagnosed as a nerve root type of pain, and it can even shoot down or radiate out to other areas of the body, such as the legs or arms. In many cases, herniated disc pain does affect other areas of a person’s body when the individual has been in a serious auto accident.
Sprains and Strains
A sprain or strain may result if a person’s neck or back is overstretched during a car accident. In these cases, a torn ligament can occur, which will work to further influence the area near the muscles. This type of injury can be painful and prevent the person from carrying on daily routines such as caring for family members, driving, or standing long enough to cook a meal.
Fractured Vertebrae
There are a number of different types of fractures that can occur for a person involved in an auto accident. These fractures include:
- Compression fractures (collapsed bone)
- Burst fractures (bones explode into tissues)
- Fracture dislocation (bone slides out to the sides)
The fractured vertebrae injuries are painful and can severely limit a person’s movement and reduce the quality of life. The treatments might include applying ice, bed rest, medicines, or various physical therapies. When an individual has a fractured vertebra, this injury is considered a serious or even permanent type of injury, especially when it is experienced after an automobile accident. There may be additional surgeries or therapies required after this type of injury.
Call the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm
If you have experienced neck or lower back pain after a car accident, you will want to give us a call. After a serious injury involving the neck and lower back pain, you may have experienced more than just a strain or sprain of these delicate areas of the body. At the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm our injury and accident attorneys are here to protect your rights and get you the compensation that you will need to recover fully from your neck and back injury. There may be additional treatments, surgeries, or other medical plans that need to be in place to help you recover to the position you were in before the car accident. Contact us or give us a call today. We are here for you from the first day of your case to the settlement day, and we will never stop until we get you the compensation you deserve for your case.
