Car accidents cause millions of injuries – some very significant – in the U.S. every year. According to the National Safety Council, 4.6 million people obtained significant injuries in 2016 from car accidents. The seriousness of the injury often depends on the type of accident, but even the most minor ones can lead to a traumatic ailment that needs immediate medical care.
In these accidents, more than one body part can be affected, and new symptoms can come up in the days following the incident. The most frequently experienced injuries from accidents are to the neck and back. And, if you feel pain in either your neck or back after an injury, make sure to contact our Atlanta Ortho Docs.
Common Back and Neck Injuries Caused By Car Accidents
There are a variety of different types of injuries you can obtain in your neck and back, which can come from either a fast or low-speed accident. Symptoms arise within the neck and back due to orthopedic damages like bone fractures or damages to muscles, ligaments or tendons. Here a few examples of the different types of such injuries.
Whiplash: Damage to the muscles, ligaments and connective tissues throughout the neck and upper back an come from a whipping motion of your head from one position to another. This is called whiplash, and it is often associated with rear-end auto accidents.
Bone Fractures: When excessive force hits a part of your body like it does in a car accident, it leaves your bones susceptible to breaking. This applies to bone breaks in the extremities, but the most common are collarbone and facial fractures.
Disc Injury: Sometimes, a collision can shift your spinal structure out of place and into a malalignment. This can lead to slipped, ruptured bulging or herniated discs, which cause excruciating pain.
Acute Mechanical Back Pain: This comes from damage to spinal joints, vertebrae, discs and soft tissues in your back.
General Symptoms
Nobody has the same symptoms from these injuries, as they depend on how severe your injuries are. Atlanta’s Orthopedic Doctors can diagnose these symptoms and come up with the right treatment plan for you. The symptoms of these injuries can come within hours or days after the injury, so be sure to look out for the below symptoms after an auto accident.
- Neck, back, shoulder or head pain
- Trouble focusing, headaches, migraines or vertigo
- Pain that gets worse with activity
- Numbness, burning, prickling or other abnormal sensations
- Sagging or weakness in the shoulder, arm or joint
- Limited range of motion
- Trouble lifting something or general difficulty with movement
- Abnormal bumps or deformities near affected area
- Bruising, redness inflammation or swelling
Steps To Take In Aftermath
In order to fully recover, avoid chronic symptoms and reduce the chances of long-term complications, it’s very important to seek orthopedic care after a car wreck. If the accident was serious, the obvious first choice is to go to the emergency room and make sure nothing is life-threatening. If not, take note of your symptoms every day to see if they worsen or don’t improve. And if those symptoms do persist, seek out Atlanta’s Orthopedic Doctors for an evaluation to get you started on a treatment plan.
There are a wide variety of ways you can be treated en route to a healthy and comfortable recovery, you just need to find one from an experienced professional. Call our Atlanta Orthopedic Doctors at (404) 855-2141 to make an appointment
