One of the most common causes of injuries in the spine is because of car accidents. Car accident clinics across the USA have reported that there are roughly 17,000 cases of severe spinal injuries alone in the US each year.
Spinal cord injuries can be life-long and their impact on the human body can be severe. Not only are the medical expenses unbearable, but the risk of being confined to a wheelchair or bed is extremely dangerous.
Since the year 2010 to present, the injuries due to the spinal cord have increased to a whopping 38% making it more and more common. Many drivers and passengers who have experienced this injury claim to have low to a high degree of spine pain, numbness, and tingling in their back region.
Even though every car accident is different from each other, we can say that there are certain reasons why a car accident leads to a spinal injury. Every driver should know these factors about a car accident and its impact on the human spine.
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Spinal injuries caused due to car accidents
An automobile crash may result in a severe hit to the spine or the tissues neighboring the spinal regions. It also includes ligaments, discs, and vertebrae. This accident trauma can result in the breaking of the vertebrae to as well as severe damage to the delicate tissues. They can be to be fractured or dislocated. Any cuts to the spinal cord can also bleed if the injury is severe.
If the accident extends across the spinal cord to the lower spine and upper body, it can cause harm to the central nervous system that interacts with the operation of the motor. Any injury to the spinal cord can result in difficulties in working even though the spine has not been removed. The severity of these accidents depends on the extent of the damage, the position of the accident, and the general wellbeing of the affected individual.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
The spine of any living being is a massive collection of muscles, tissues, and vertebrae that stretches along the spine and attaches to the brain, creating the central nervous system. It’s one of the most essential components of the body, so if it’s damaged, it may cause damage in several different ways.
- The spinal region comprises of three main components:
- The lumbar spine is the lower back
- The thoracic spine which is categorized as the middle region
- The cervical spine that constitutes the upper back and the neck
When the vertebra is damaged, there are areas of the body that are surrounding the area of the injury are also impacted.
Some of the most common types of spinal injuries that doctors in a car accident clinic have treated are:
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Fractured Vertebrae
The human spine comprises an exact 33 vertebrae in the spine. Damage to any one of them can lead to spinal compression or pinching. The severity and intensity of the damage depend on the condition that your vertebrae are in after a fracture.
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Bulging Spinal Discs
If you’re in a car wreck, your spine flings back and forth; there can be an issue of bulging discs. The term whiplash is another name for bulging discs. When this unexpected impact causes the disk to drop itself out of the normal position, it becomes known as the Bulging Disc. Undiagnosed Bulging Disks are at risk of being herniated.
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Herniated Discs
The disks of the spine lie behind the vertebrae and are made up of a smooth inner and rough cartilage outside. As substantial and unexpected pressure is applied to the spine, as is typical in back-end injuries, the fragile innermost wall of the spinal disk can break through its hard casing, creating a severe condition known as the Herniated or Ruptured Disk.
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Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis develops as the openings in the spinal canal tend to close, causing strain on the entire spinal column and the nerves. Some human beings are born with spinal stenosis, while others acquire a disease after an extreme car accident.
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Spondylolysis
A common phrase used to define the degenerative diseases of the spine. While it typically occurs from normal wear and tear or aging, it may often be induced by severe accidents, such as serious injuries.
Side-effects of a car accident
This is important for the perpetrators of automobile crashes to receive immediate attention and guarantee there is no undetected injury. Spinal injuries can occur days after the initial car crash. The purpose of spinal cord injury is to inflict extremely significant harm to an individual and, in many instances, to cause irreversible damage.
The spine is a complicated primary organ for transferring tactile input to and from the brain and nervous system that helps us to sense our legs and shift them. Many patients end up with an irreversible injury and have to deal with the side-effects of the spinal injury for the rest of their life.
Some of the most common side effects of car accident injuries are:
- Numbness
- Body pain and muscle spasms
- Difficulty in movements
- Breathing issues
- Permanent paralysis
- Zero bowels and bladder control
- Sexual dysfunction
Medical treatment for spinal injuries after a car accident
After you meet a car accident, here are a few tips that you need to follow:
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Stay in the hospital if needed
- Claim for medical insurance
- Seek alternative therapy if approved by your doctor
- Maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle
Conclusion
The human spine is the most important part of the body. Attached to the nervous system, the spine is responsible for maintaining a healthy connection between the organs and the nervous system. Not only this but, it also helps the humans to stand and perform their day to day tasks effectively.
In case of a car accident, there is a huge risk that your spine might be damaged. With the ratio of car accidents increasing, spinal injuries are also being reported to have increased. It is extremely important to get all medical procedures done to maintain spinal health after injury.
