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How Long Does Back Pain From Car Accident Last

What To Do If You Feel Back Pain After An Accident

Kingwood Chiropractor-Car Accident and Whiplash Injuries, How Long Is The Treatment

As you can see, your back and neck are composed of a complex system of bones, soft-tissue and nerves. Many areas are vulnerable to injury in the event of an auto accident and the sooner you receive treatment the better, which is why its crucial that you seek medical attention as soon as possible following a crash.

After youve been diagnosed and are following the doctors orders for treatment, its time to talk to an attorney near you who specializes in back injury cases. These claims are often very complicated and involve significant medical costs, resulting in contested claims. For these reasons, its vital to hire an experienced lawyer who can best represent you.

Integrity Spine And Orthopedics Treats Car Accident Injuries

A back injury can put you out of commission for weeks or months. We recommend contacting Integrity Spine and Orthopedics as soon as possible if youve been in a car accident and have back, neck or soft tissue pain and symptoms. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons specialize in pain management, general orthopedics and minimally invasive spine surgeries to treat a wide range of spine, muscle and joint conditions caused by car crashes. The sooner we get you started on the right treatment plan, the sooner youll be back on your feet and doing the activities you love.

How To Treat Facet Joint Pain From Auto Accidents

Never push yourself too hard if you feel any discomfort or pain in your facet joints.

Move slowly, and if you feel any significant pain, you should immediately stop what you’re trying to do.

If the pain persists, you can massage over the area to help relieve any muscle spasms that might be occurring.

Pain medication is an option for neck pain but beware of the side effects.

Another solution to help treat facet joint pains is to seek a licensed and qualified chiropractor.

The chiropractor will give you detailed information on what happened to your facet joints, the exact location of the pain, and what needs to be done to alleviate said ache.

Last but not least, you should exercise to help improve the stiffness and spasms.

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What Happens To Muscles That Have Been Strained From Whiplash

Whiplash typically occurs when a muscle, tendon or ligament is stretched past its normal capacity, or hyperextended.

Have you ever heard of a knee hyperextending? Its the same principle in your neck.

Your muscles, tendons and ligaments are only meant to stretch so far. For example, your arms and legs typically only stretch to a 180-degree angle.

This natural limit allows you to have incredible flexibility and movement in your extremities, while still allowing you to maintain balance and keep vital interior structures from being compressed and injured.

When, through the use of excessive force, these soft tissues are stretched beyond their capabilities the result is almost always strain of some sort.

Think about it like a rubber band. The band has a limit to how far it will naturally stretch and when it is extended beyond that point you start doing damage to the structure itself. The extent of the damage depends almost entirely on how far it is extended.

Your neck is the same way and the excessive and sudden motion of a car accident can cause the soft tissues holding it to tear on a micro level which typically produces pain, stiffness and inflammation at the site of the injury.

Other common symptoms of whiplash can include:

  • Headaches, especially at the base of the skull
  • Dizziness
  • Constant weariness

How Long Does The Physical Pain Last After A Car Accident

How Long Does Back Pain Last After a Rear

Statistics reveal that more than 37,000 people die in car crashes every year in the US. An additional 2.35 million are injured or disabled. Nearly 8,000 drivers aged between 16 and 20 are killed in car accidents. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, there were 37,461 deaths in the US caused by car crashes in 2016. In Florida, there were 2,933 fatal crashes and 3,174 deaths. In 2014, there were 2 vehicles involved in fatal car accidents in Brandon, Florida, where Chambers Medical Group has a medical clinic, with 1 fatality.

Car accidents, even minor ones, can cause a lot of pain and discomfort, as well as damage. How long does physical pain last following an auto accident? This depends on a few variables, including:

  • At what speed did the accident occur?
  • What were the sizes of the vehicles involved?
  • Did you wear your seatbelt?
  • Where was the vehicle struck?
  • Did your airbags deploy?
  • How serious was the accident and the injuries you sustained?

These are important questions that a car accident chiropractor or doctor needs to know as they determine the extent of your injuries and possible long-term effects.

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How Long Does Lower Back Pain Last & What To Do For It

Lower back pain is a condition that affects so many people. It is estimated that about 80% of adults do suffer from lower back pain at some point of their lifetime. This problem is a work related disability and a major cause of absenteeism in most working places. Lower back pain affects both genders and can be felt in different intensities ranging from dull persistent pains to sharp pains that can immobilize a person.

Factors like accident, age, lifting of heavy materials and sedentary lifestyles can cause lower back pains. However, a bigger percentage of low back pain is termed as mechanical and is linked to Spondylosis which is the general degeneration of the spine in connection to wear and tear in bones, discs and joints as you grow old.

How Whiplash Affects You In The Long Run

Whiplash injuries will often have a slow onset, so many people will not even realize that they have suffered the injury until hours or even days after the accident.

Because of this, many people will not seek treatment at all, hoping the pain will be short-lived and that they will just start to feel better with time.

This is the worst possible decision one could make. While in some rare circumstances the victim may feel better on their own, the majority will suffer from long-term complications.

  • Limited range of motion in the neck or surrounding area
  • Permanent soft tissue damage

When you see a medical professional right away, the doctor will be able to diagnose and treat your whiplash injury before you begin to experience pain and lose your range of motion.

Those who fail to seek medical treatment, even when their injury is minor, will run the risk of experiencing whiplash symptoms for much longer than those who receive proper treatment.

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Areas Affected By An Automobile Accident

An automobile collision can affect the lumbar vertebrae , thoracic vertebrae , and cervical vertebrae . Each area consists of tissues, nerves, ligaments, bones, tendons, and muscles extending from your neck to your pelvis.

With 33 vertebrae spine bones, 31 nerve roots, and 32 muscles in your neck and back, any damage can have long-lasting effects. The most common back injuries are to the lumbar spine located in the lower back. There are five vertebrae in your lumbar spine. Soft discs with a soft nucleus and rugged outer ring sit between each vertebra.

Thoracic injuries are less common due to their rigid structure but more serious as the upper back connects to the rib and chest region. Damage to one or more of the 12 vertebrae can affect your breathing, cause nerve damage, or lead to chronic pain.

Some injuries, such as soft tissue problems, may not show up right away. Seeking medical treatment immediately can rule out any critical issues and shorten your auto accident recovery time.

How Car Accidents Cause Neck And Back Pain

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Car accidents involve a tremendous amount of physics when evaluating the impact on a vehicle occupants body. Whiplash is a common cause of neck and back injuries resulting from a car accident, whether the injury is to the spinal disc or facet joint. During a vehicle crash, the speed and force create a dramatic acceleration/deceleration that the body is not prepared for. Sometimes these injuries can be repaired through physical medicine or pain management intervention.

  • About 3 million Americans sustain whiplash injuries each year
  • About 1.5 million Americans suffer chronic pain from whiplash
  • About 300,000 Americans become disabled due to the pain of whiplash
  • Most whiplash injuries occur at crash speeds below 12 miles per hour
  • There is no correlation between vehicle damage and the extent of injuries.
  • Aging significantly increases the risk of whiplash children have 2/3 the risk of adults.

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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 events severity.

How Long Does Back Pain Last After A Rear

Rear-end collisions are among the most common auto accidents. Unfortunately, even at low speeds, rear-end collisions often lead to injuries. If you were in a car that was rear-ended, you might experience back pain as a result of the accident.

Here, well discuss how long you can expect to recover from back pain after a rear-end collision.

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Recovery Time For Chronic Whiplash

For those involved in a more serious accident, there can be severe pain and difficulty moving the neck and head, and full symptoms may only present themselves a days after the impact.

Severe whiplash injuries can last for months, and on rare occasions, the symptoms may never fully disappear. The pain and stiffness in the neck can be accompanied with upper or lower back pain, severe headaches, sleepless nights and affected vision among other symptoms.

Recovery time may depend on the treatment you seek for your injuries. Long term physiotherapy or rehabilitation may be required.

Dont Settle Immediately And Get Help With Your Case

How Long Does Neck Pain Last After a Car Accident?

After going through an automobile, truck, or motorcycle accident, its understandable to want to move on with your life quickly. But even so, you shouldnt accept a settlement from an insurance company right away without talking to a lawyer first. Insurance companies dont make money by handing out generous settlements they make their profit by limiting them.

Will it be enough to cover all your medical treatment, for as long as needed? What about lost wages? Pain and suffering? The only way to make sure you get the compensation you need is to get the advice of a good lawyer, like the Oklahoma car accident attorneys at McIntyre Law.

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How Car Accidents Cause Back Pain

Every year, its approximated that 1.2 million accounts of whiplash happen each year in the United States. Hospitals in the US see 869,000 cases of cervical spine injures annually. The question remains, why are there so many cases of back injuries?

Back pain from a car accident is caused by the amount of force placed upon the spine following a large impact. Since a drivers seat has limited space, the force is confined to a smaller area, abruptly stopping the momentum. The brisk power of the force puts pressure on the back and neck.

Will My Whiplash Pain Go Away

In most cases, the pain from whiplash typically goes away after about 6 weeks. However, a vast majority of the pain should dissipate a couple of days after the accident as the soft tissues impacted begin to heal and inflammation dies down.

While painful, whiplash typically doesnt affect the vital nerves, bones or other structures located within the neck and pain can be reduced with ice, pain-relieving medication and rest.

Which means that the prognosis for victims of whiplash is often good, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

That said, about 12-50% of people still report experiencing symptoms, like headaches or neck pain, after a year and others will continue to exhibit symptoms the rest of their lives.

The amount of time that pain lasts is typically dependent on the seriousness of the accident, the amount of damage that was caused to the spine and soft tissues and whether or not you had any preexisting spinal conditions beforehand.

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How Long After A Car Accident Can You Claim Injury In Oklahoma

How long after a car accident you have to claim an injury depends on where you live. Youve got two years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit in Oklahoma. But you shouldnt wait that long. Proving a case gets more difficult as time passes. How can a doctor testify to the injuries you got in the auto wreck if you wait weeks or months to get examined? Its better for your case and better for your health if you see a doctor right away.

Injuries Relating To An Accident Are Two Types:

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Soft tissue injuries

This is when the car wreck has caused an injury to the weaker areas of the body such as the tendons, muscles and the ligaments. These injuries can be in the form of sprains, bruises or strains. An injury to the soft tissues results in soreness and stiffness which cause great pain. Soft tissue injury occurs in auto accidents, but can occur with other activities such as sports, aircraft accidents, etc. . The more severe the collision, the greater the force felt, the higher the chances of injury to the victims.

The more severe the collision, the greater the force felt and higher the chances of a soft tissue injury to the victims.

How long you are sore following the soft tissue injury depends on the impact of the car accident. Ice packs, pain killers, and muscle relaxers can help you function, but they will not heal anything. Ice packs, rest, compression, elevation, are used to treat the soreness. Physical Therapy from a PT or Chiropractor can be utilized to help with the soreness. However, it is always advised to seek medical attention to rule out fractures and internal bleeding.

Whiplash

The soreness of the neck may seem very minor, but if not treated properly it can result in an even more issues further down the road. If ignored the victim may experience extreme discomfort to the point that regular movement may get affected. Treatment of whiplash includes direct spine and neck manipulation, ice, heat.

Broken Bones

Common broken bones in car accidents

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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.

How Can A Lawyer Help You After A Car Accident In Virginia

If a car accident causes you to suffer a serious injury such as a fracture rib or punctured lung, you may end up needing extensive and costly medical treatment. You may also have to go through lengthy physical therapy in order to fully recover from the injury. Soon, you may find yourself overwhelmed by medical bills that hit you when, at the same time, you cannot work due to your injuries.

However, you shouldnt have to pay doctors bills or lose income because of a crash that was not your fault. This is why you should seek help as soon as possible from an experienced car accident lawyer. The lawyer will work hard to make things right for you by taking steps such as:

  • Investigating your car accident
  • Identifying all sources of compensation for you
  • Dealing directly with the insurance companies
  • Pursuing a settlement that fully compensates you
  • Taking your case to trial if no settlement can be reached
  • Making sure that you get the funds owed to you from a settlement or judgment as quickly as possible.

is one of the largest personal injury firms in the state of Virginia, and we have been helping people like you since 1911. We have the skill, experience and resources that can make a difference in your case if you have suffered chest injuries in a car accident. Above all, we will work tirelessly to pursue the compensation that you deserve.

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When Does An Injured Patient Require Back Fusion Surgery

Spinal fusion is required when a patient has suffered an injury to the discs or vertebrae in the neck or back. The injury can occur as a result of twisting, falling, or an impact injury caused by a jolt that leads to a fracture or herniated disc. This often happens in traumatic car accidents. If the patient has constantly been in pain after the injury, then he or she would probably require back fusion surgery. Such pain is normally caused by body movement that exerts pressure against the spinal nerves and is often disabling. Back fusion surgery stops this movement of the vertebrae and treats the cause of pain.

Other Common Back Surgeries:

These surgical procedures have become less invasive and more efficient with time, but they are major surgical procedures with long recovery time. During the recovery period, the car accident victim may not be able to work, or even perform daily activities. This can result in lost personal time and income.

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