Is it normal to have back pain after a car accident?
Automobile accidents frequently result in back pain, sprain or strain. You may twist or turn due to the injury, stretching your tendons or muscles beyond their limits. If this happens, your discomfort may intensify when you move, and you may have muscular spasms or cramps. A strain or sprain will also limit your range of motion.
How long does back pain last after a car accident?
Back Pain usually subsides within six weeks in the majority of auto injury patients. However, the bulk of the pain should reduce within a few days following the injury as the affected soft tissues recover and the inflammation subsides. A proper pain management treatment plan may help speed up the recovery process.
What usually causes lower back pain coming from car accidents?
A vehicle collision can cause various unpleasant ailments, but the most common are muscular strains or tears that occur when the head is forcefully flung forward and backward; this is known as whiplash. As a result of this motion, injuries to the spinal discs, facet joints, and bone structure may occur, depending on the event’s severity.
What to Do With Lower Back Injuries After a Car Accident?
Back injuries can be identified and their severity evaluated by X-Rays, CT scans, MRIs, myelograms, and bone scans after a vehicle accident. Treatment differs depending on the kind and degree of the damage experienced once a diagnosis has been determined. Many back problems only require short-term treatment, such as pain medication, inflammatory injections, and physical therapy.
Most Common Back Injuries People Have from Auto Accidents
Back sprains and strains
When you have a back strain, your soft tissue extends too much and becomes damaged. A strain is a condition that affects your back’s tendons, which link bones to muscles. On the other hand, a back sprain involves the ligaments that connect joints to bones or bones to other bones.
Herniated Discs
Discs can move and squeeze nerves during a vehicle collision, resulting in a herniated disc. When the inner component of the spinal disc pushes out through the outer ring, it is called a herniated disc. A herniated disc is described by doctors as slipping, bulging, or ruptured. Because the protruding part scrapes against nerves, you may experience numbness, a burning feeling, or weakness throughout your body.
Read more: Could it be a herniated disc?
Facet Joint Pains
Facet joints connect the bones of the spine, and nerve roots travel through them to numerous areas of the body, including the arms and legs. Facet joints allow you to bend or twist without injuring your spine. Damaged facet joints, on the other hand, cause pain by interfering with your nerves. Thinning cartilage or prior untreated spinal injuries might cause problems with your facet joints. Tightening or spasming of your muscles, discomfort on the exterior of your back, or radiating pain are all possibilities.
Related: Facet Joint Syndrome
Lumbar or thoracic vertebrae fractures
A thoracic or lumbar spine fracture produces moderate to severe back discomfort that becomes worse with movement. If a high-energy trauma produces the fracture, the patient may suffer brain damage and lose consciousness or “blackout.” Other injuries, known as distracting injuries, may also create discomfort that overwhelms the back pain. In these situations, it’s safe to infer that the patient has a spine fracture, especially after a high-energy incident like a car accident.
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylolisthesis is a vertebra that has been dislocated as a result of a stress fracture. The spinal canal or nerves can be compressed as the vertebrae move. The amount of displacement and where it occurs have an impact on pain levels and treatment options. People usually suffer weakness, discomfort, and numbness, as well as difficulty walking.
Whiplash
Whiplash injury is one of the most typical injuries caused by vehicle accidents. It happens when the head and neck jerk back and forward, suddenly straining and tearing the neck’s muscles, ligaments and tendons. Whiplash can cause long-term back pain, while pain and symptoms are primarily affected by the cervical spine. Whiplash is commonly misdiagnosed or untreated as a severe condition, increasing the risk of death.
4 Treatments for People with Back Pain from Car Accidents
Rest
Rest is essential for your back problem to recover. Take some time off work to avoid sitting at a desk or being on your feet all day. Back pain can be relieved with the use of ice and heat. Some individuals love ice, while others prefer heat; you’ll have to experiment to see which works best on the level of pain you are experiencing.
Pain medication
Inflammation can be reduced using pain relievers like ibuprofen. However, if you require painkillers for more than a week, consult your physician. You may be prescribed stronger prescription medications once your back problem has been professionally examined. Be aware that if you are given prescription-strength medications, you may not drive while taking them.
Injections
To reduce back or joint pain, inflammation, and irritation, you may need a corticosteroid injection. Corticosteroid shots provide temporary anti-inflammatory benefits. However, they are not a long-term solution, and their effects disappear over time.
You Might Be Interested: Different Types of Injections for Pain Management
Physical Therapy
Being immobile for some time can slow down recovery and increase pain. With your pain management doctor’s permission, exercise and stretching should be included in your daily routine. To aid in the re-establishment of strength, flexibility, balance, and range of motion. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy sessions. To further speed up your recovery time, you may also do at-home exercises with guidance from your doctor.
When should I see a doctor after feeling back pain from an auto accident?
If you’ve been in a vehicle accident and suspect you’ve been hurt, experiencing intense pain or something doesn’t seem right, you should visit a doctor straight once. Severe injuries, such as broken bones, neck injuries, spinal injuries, thoracic injuries, or head trauma, require immediate evaluation and treatment. Whiplash, in particular, can develop up to 24 hours after an injury.
Your doctor will examine your back, neck, shoulders, and overall health. They will also advise on how to monitor possible damage if the symptoms develop over time.
Call Stridewell and learn how to deal with lower back pain after a car accident.
If you are a car accident victim, you must get medical attention right away. Accident injuries may be unnoticed just after an accident, but they can develop into chronic pain. In addition, it is recommended that you get medical attention from an auto vehicle accident doctor if you suffer persistent lower back pain.
If you live in Arizona and feel you have been injured in a car accident and require a comprehensive evaluation and treatment plan, call a reputable accident and injury clinic in Arizona right away.
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