Driving may be an everyday part of your life. Sadly, car accidents are far more common than most people realize. Up to 50 million people experience non-fatal injuries from car crashes every year. If you are one of those, you may be struggling with spine-related health issues or joint pain.
If you are experiencing back, neck or joint pain after a collision, seeking professional care is essential. A musculoskeletal specialist can assess your delicate spinal anatomy and joints to determine if an injury has occurred. Experts like the team at Spine Institute of North America can also help you find the best treatment options.
Why Car Accidents Can Cause Spine and Joint Injuries
From the 33 small bones that provide bodily support to the fragile spinal cord that sends neural messages throughout the body, your spine is an intricate and complex structure. The impact that occurs during a car accident creates violent movement that can harm multiple body parts. Even minor collisions can impact your back, neck and spinal cord. Damage to the spine’s nerves, tissues, muscles, ligaments and bones can have long-lasting effects.
The trauma can also severely damage joints, including your knees, shoulders and elbows. When you experience a collision, your body automatically contracts and braces for impact. You may unwittingly bend or twist your arms or legs. These movements, along with the blunt force, can tear or twist delicate joint structures, including tendons and ligaments.
Symptoms of Spine Injury After a Car Accident
It’s common to feel sore or stiff after a car accident. You may even experience some pain. So, how do you know if you have a spinal injury?
Multiple injuries can occur to the spine after a collision, including fractures, compressed nerves, muscle strains and inflammation. Your symptoms may be manageable or debilitating. Here are some signs that could indicate a spine injury:
- Discomfort when moving or standing
- Searing pain down the back, buttocks or legs
- Sharp pain when changing positions
- Tingling or numbness in the legs, arms, feet or hands
- Stiffness and muscle tension
- Muscle spasms
Most Common Back Injuries After an Automobile Accident
Here are some of the most common collision-related spinal health issues:
- Whiplash: This is a neck injury caused by a sudden, forceful back-and-forth motion.
- Vertebrae fractures: Fractures occur when a vertebra is cracked, broken or otherwise damaged.
- Herniated disc: If the soft cushions protecting your vertebrae shift, they can compress nerves and cause pain.
- Facet joint injuries: Injury to the connection points between spinal bones can impact the nerves and cause pain.
Symptoms of Joint Injury After a Car Accident
You may not notice joint injury symptoms until inflammation arises. Seeing a medical professional immediately helps prevent conditions from worsening. While symptoms of joint problems can vary depending on your unique condition, the most common indicators include:
- Sharp or severe joint pain
- A dull ache in or around the joints
- Joint stiffness
- Limited range of motion
- A swollen joint
- Warmth over the joint
- Noticeable deformity
Most Common Joint Injuries After a Collision
The most prevalent joint injuries include:
- Dislocation: The blunt force can push the bones in your joints out of their usual places.
- Fracture: Articular or periarticular fractures occur when the bone breaks in or around a joint.
- Dashboard knee: This knee injury is common after car accidents, as the force of your knee hitting the dashboard can severely damage this joint’s various structures.
- Post-traumatic arthritis: The trauma can cause joints to become inflamed. This form of arthritis can heal but may increase your future risk of arthritis.
Spinal and Joint Treatments After a Car Accident
If you experience back or joint pain after an automobile accident or any of the symptoms mentioned above, don’t wait. These signs could indicate a serious injury. Putting off treatment may cause your pain to worsen or exacerbate an underlying condition.
There are many interventional treatments and minimally invasive procedures that provide relief, as well as pain management techniques that can alleviate or even eliminate painful symptoms. The spine and joint specialists at Spine INA offer a variety of treatment options. We work with patients to find the right form of relief based on their unique condition, symptoms and severity of their injury.
Find Relief From a Car Accident Spine or Joint Injury at Spine INA
The spine specialists at Spine Institute of North America understand the immediate and long-term impact a car accident can have on your life. No matter what kind of spinal or joint injury your collision may have caused, we will pinpoint the source of your pain and find a treatment option that’s right for you. Schedule your appointment with a specialist today.
