Every day, thousands of people across America are injured in car accidents that cause severe injuries. Many of these motor vehicle crash victims seek treatment for herniated discs, as spinal injuries are a common occurrence in auto accidents.
First, lets split up the two words. A hernia occurs when an organ or tissue pushes though a weakness or opening of the cavity it is located in. A disc, or more specifically, an intervertebral disc is a rubbery, fibrous, pad that is located between each vertebrae that makes up the spinal column. There are 24 intervertebral discs. The purpose of the intervertebral discs is to absorb pressure place on the spine when the body is active. Therefore, when too much pressure is exerted on the spine, like when picking up something heavy or from receiving a blow in a car accident, the discs may not be able to withstand the pressure. Even more, the discs may deteriorate and rip causing them to squeeze out.
The Mayo Clinic gives a perfect comparison when they say, “A spinal disk is a little like a jelly donut, with a softer center encased within a tougher exterior. Sometimes called a slipped disk or a ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when some of the softer "jelly" pushes out through a crack in the tougher exterior.”
If you have been injured in a car accident and feel arm or leg pain, numbness or tingling, or muscle weakness, you may be suffering from a herniated disc. People who are overweight or have jobs that require manual labor are more likely to have herniated discs. It is vital that after being involved in a car, motorcycle, or bus crash that victims immediately seek medical help, in order to rule out the possibility of herniated discs or any other medical problems. X-rays, CT scans, and MRI’s are all simple and quick ways to determine whether a car crash victim has suffered a herniated disc.
If you are diagnosed with one or more herniated discs, you may be prescribed simple over the counter medication such as ibuprofen, narcotics such as Percocet, nerve pain medication such as gabapentin, muscle relaxers, or cortisone shots. Along with medication, physical therapy is a common and effective way to treat herniated discs. Other treatment options may include chiropractic care, pain management injections, and in the most severe cases, surgery may be recommended.
Whatever the treatment your doctor prescribes to heal your herniated discs, no treatment comes cheap. Car accidents cause expensive medical bills of which herniated discs and their treatments may only be a small portion of. And on top of dealing with medical bills and doctor’s visits, victims of motor vehicle accidents must also deal with stressful and demanding insurance companies.
Instead of being constantly worried, victims of car accidents should be taking it easy, recovering, and getting back into the normal swing of things. If you have been injured in a motor vehicle accident, call The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our car accident attorneys are highly experienced in dealing with auto insurance companies, medical bills, and anything that keeping you from your recovery. Call us today, at 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation.