Car accident injuries can range from minor and temporary inconveniences to serious and catastrophic injuries that leave you with permanent disabilities or scarring. There are some particularly pernicious injuries, like internal injuries or whiplash, that aren’t always readily apparent. You may not even know you’ve sustained a serious injury until hours or days after the crash.
Seeking immediate medical attention after getting into a car accident is crucial to ensuring injuries are accurately diagnosed and you receive the necessary treatments.
Back injuries are often the number one complaint after a driver has been in a car accident. The severity of a back injury tends to dictate the impact it will have on your life and the invasiveness of treatment. In particularly severe cases, a back injury may require surgery. Most minor back injuries can be treated with at-home pain management, rest, physical therapy and other non-invasive treatment strategies. Some patients who require more aggressive treatment may be good candidates for laser spine surgery.
If you have recently been in a car crash and you are experiencing pain and discomfort in your back, schedule an appointment with a doctor right away.
What Back Injuries Can Occur in a Car Accident?
Your back is vital for your body’s daily functioning and overall health. The slightest spine injury can become a serious problem if not treated swiftly and properly. If you wait to see a doctor, you run the risk of prolonging your symptoms or leaving a life-changing injury untreated.
There are a few common types of car accident back injuries to be aware of that require prompt medical diagnosis and treatment.
- Back sprain – Damage to the ligaments in the back
- Back strain – Damage to the soft tissues, muscles and tendons in the back
- Herniated discs – Damage to the discs between the vertebrae and surrounding nerves
- Compression fracture – Miniscule breaks in the bones that make up the spine
- Thoracic and lumbar vertebra fractures – Hairline fractures in the bones in the mid to low back
Common Back Surgeries for Car Accident-Related Injuries
There’s a broad range of car accident injury severity, which can make it difficult for injured people to easily judge what type of medical intervention they require. Before jumping to conclusions about the seriousness of your back injury, consult with your doctor.
Severe back injuries can greatly impact your daily life and may even prevent you from working. Spine surgeons specialize in various surgical procedures that are designed to help you recover your mobility and range of motion after being in a serious car accident.
If your doctor or surgeon believes you might need surgery, there are a handful of common back surgeries they might recommend.
- Spinal fusion – A minimally invasive procedure that fuses two or more spinal vertebrae together
- Vertebroplasty – A minimally invasive procedure that stabilizes the spine by injecting “bone cement” into a small hole
- Laminotomy or laminectomy – A surgical procedure that relieves pressure on the spinal cord by removing the lamina (the back of a vertebrae that covers the spinal canal)
- Discectomy – A minimally invasive procedure that removes a portion of a herniated disc using small instruments and lasers
Back Injury Symptoms to Watch Out for After a Car Accident
Adrenaline is your body’s natural response to trauma. When you are in a car accident, that adrenaline can mask the pain your injuries cause for hours or even days after the crash. Even if you don’t feel pain right away, there is still a chance that you could have been injured.
If you’ve been involved in a car crash, you should consider scheduling an appointment with a doctor or seeking emergency treatment as soon as possible.
Pay attention to your body and look out for the following symptoms — they could be a sign of a back injury:
- Back pain even while resting
- Reduced spinal flexibility
- Loss of sensation in your extremities
- Numbness or tingling in your arms or legs
Do You Have Chronic Back Pain? Learn How Laser Spine Surgery Can Help
Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident or suffer from chronic back pain, the spine surgeons and pain management specialists at AllSpine Laser and Surgery Center provide personalized treatment plans designed to alleviate your discomfort and improve mobility.
Our specialists provide a diverse array of non-invasive back surgeries, from laser spine surgery to herniated disc laser surgery. Learn more about our treatment options by scheduling an appointment at one of our Atlanta locations today.
Contact us at 770-997-0600 to speak with a member of our team.