Back Injuries From a Car Accident

After a car crash, it’s not uncommon to have injuries. If you have been rear-ended, you might have pain or soreness in your back. Back pain may occur due to the impact of the crash. Your body is still in motion until something stops it. A seat belt, airbag, steering wheel, or windshield may stop your body’s movement. This can cause sprains and injuries to various body parts, including your spinal cord and back.

Back injuries may be minor and go away on their own. In some cases, though, the pain can be chronic. The pain may be severe enough to interfere with daily activities.

Back pain is not something you want to mess with. You want to get it assessed as soon as possible so that it can get properly treated. Otherwise, the injuries can worsen and take longer to heal.

The Impact of a Crash on Your Back

A car accident can affect various parts of the back, including the lumbar vertebrae (lower back) and thoracic vertebrae (upper back). The cervical vertebrae is technically the neck, but it is connected to the back and can also be injured in a crash. Each area consists of tissues, nerves, ligaments, bones, tendons, and muscles.

Any damage to your back can have long-term effects, given that there are 33 vertebrae spine bones, 31 nerve roots, and 32 muscles in your neck and back. The most common back injuries happen to the lumbar spine, which is located in the lower back. There are five vertebrae in your lumbar spine, with soft discs in between each vertebra.

Thoracic injuries are less common but when they do occur, they tend to be more serious. That’s because the upper back connects to the rib and chest region. Damage to any of these 12 vertebrae can affect your breathing as well as cause nerve damage or chronic pain.

Understanding the Symptoms

After a car accident, you may feel soreness all over your body, so it can be hard to determine if you have a back injury. Therefore, you should look for signs such as:

• Muscle spasms. The muscle may repeatedly twitch or feel tender on the outside of your body. Muscle spasms can be mild or debilitating.
• You may not feel as flexible after a car accident. Your back may feel stiff from the impact but loosen up over time after stretching.
• Burning pain. You may experience searing pain down your back and buttocks. It may also travel through one or both legs. This pain may go away quickly or last several days.
• Tingling or numbness. Since your spinal cord connects to your arms and legs, tense muscles may pinch nerves and cause tingling or numbness in your legs, feet, arms, and hands.

Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer 

A car accident can cause various injuries. Back injuries are common and can be very painful.

A Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC can help you deal with the aftermath of a crash, whether you have back pain or other injuries. To schedule a free consultation with our office, call 281-347-3247 or fill out the online form.

Source:

alexanderorthopaedics.com/blog/common-back-injuries-from-a-car-accident/