Imagine pain shooting down your back and through your arms and legs; spasms that make you fall to the floor and not want to move. Most likely, you’ve experienced something like this at one point in your life, and if you haven’t, statistics say you probably will. In fact, back strains are the second most common cause for people to miss work.
Back strains, also known as “lumbar sprains,” happen to almost everyone at one point, and they are extremely painful and seriously limit mobility. So, how do they happen?
The strain occurs when muscle fibers are damaged. This damage comes from heavy lifting, sudden movements, and traumas like car accidents. The muscle fibers can be stretched or torn. Typically, the more stressed or anxious you are, the greater the extent of the strain. That’s because muscles become tighter and less likely to “give” when we are tense.
When you experience a back strain, it is important to seek medical advice. Doctors and chiropractors can prescribe anti-inflammatory and pain medications. It’s also important to stay as mobile as possible, even though that is exactly what your body doesn’t want to do. If you are certain it is a strain (after your doctor thoroughly examines you), lying down is not a good idea.
Resting for the first few days after you strain your back is OK. However, your goal is to keep your muscles loose and mobile, which can only be done by performing slow, gentle movements. What is not good is performing heavy lifting or other activities that twist and further strain your back.
You can also apply ice to the painful areas. Many medical specialists warn against only applying heat, because then the inflammation won’t subside. However, alternating between ice and heat is another good form of therapy.
Herniated disks are extremely painful, and although they are most likely to affect people in their 30s and 40s, anyone can suffer from one. They cause pain that radiates through almost every part of the body, not just the back. They can cause muscle spasms, numbness in arms, legs, and fingers, and inflammation that is extremely sensitive to the touch.
Herniated disks also typically occur in the lower back, but they can happen as high in the spinal column as the neck. Those that occur in the lower back cause extreme pain and numbness even all the way down to the knees, and those that occur in the neck cause pain and limited mobility in the shoulders, arms, neck and upper torso.
So how do these painful injuries happen? The most likely culprit is heavy lifting and straining of the spine, or sudden twists or turning movements. They are also caused by slips and falls, car accidents, and anything that causes a heavy blow to the back.
Herniated disks are also known as:
Slipped disks
Bulging disks
Compressed disks
Ruptured disks
Collapsed disks
So what is a disk, exactly? Disks are cushions that protect each of the 26 bones called the vertebrae. A herniated disk is when the disk slips out of place, is crushed, or is ruptured.
Treatments often involve rest, medicines that reduce the pain and inflammation, and physical therapy. In the worst cases, people with herniated disks have to undergo surgery. Medical expenses and lost wages can cause financial distress in many people who suffer from herniated disks. The majority of those people contact personal injury attorneys, who help them get their medical costs and other losses covered.
Whiplash occurs when there is an abrupt jerking motion of the head, usually during a car accident. Whiplash can cause extreme pain and long-term reduced mobility and discomfort, and although it can happen to anyone, it occurs most often in men aged 30 to 50 years.
The human head weighs an average of 14 pounds, and there are seven small bones in the neck that hold that weight. It is important that the neck bones maintain an accurate curvature, otherwise the spinal cord can become pinched and it can affect a person’s ability to move, balance, and function properly.
What most people don’t know is that whiplash can occur even during a car accident in which the cars are only traveling at 5-10 mph. It doesn’t take a lot for whiplash to occur and cause serious injuries.
Sometimes it’s hard to know whiplash is the culprit of certain injuries and illnesses. That’s because when the spinal cord is pinched, it may reduce the blood supply to certain organs in the body. When the organ begins to fail, many people fail to connect their symptoms to the whiplash they received days, months, or even years before. Also, whiplash symptoms can last for more than 6 months in more than 75 percent of patients, and even longer in those who are not treated.
So, how do you know you have whiplash? Common symptoms include:
neck and shoulder pain
neck and shoulder swelling
muscle spasms
blurred vision
difficulty swallowing
difficulty moving
headache
dizziness
lightheadedness
depression
It is extremely important to seek medical attention after experiencing whiplash, even if your symptoms are not immediately apparent. Typically, a doctor or chiropractor will conduct an examination, take X-rays, and make adjustments to any areas of the spine that are out of alignment. Sometimes, physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medicines are also prescribed. Unfortunately, people who experience whiplash lose an average of 8 weeks of work. Because of the medical expenses and possible lost wages, it is also extremely important to contact a personal injury attorney who can help you recover any financial damages.
Victims of head and face injuries may be entitled to compensation. Injuries to the head or face are often extremely dangerous, traumatic, and painful. Severe brain damage, physical disfiguration, and emotional trauma often result. Because of the gravity of these injuries, sufferers should seek compensation whenever possible.
Have you suffered a head and face injury?
Head and face injuries happen when victims least expect it. Unfortunately, whether in the car, in the workplace, at home, or in the outdoors, the head and face are always at risk of injury. Often, these injuries occur despite wearing protective gear. Some of the symptoms may be:
Loss of consciousness or memory loss
Bleeding, swelling, pain, and discoloration
What are the results of head and face injuries?
Because the head and face contain so many of the body’s important organs, damage from a head and face injury can seriously affect the victim’s ability to work and function normally. From vision or hearing loss to disfigurement and the emotional scarring, head and face injuries are highly destructive and life-altering. They can mean loss of employment, high medical bills, and family distress.
What should you do if you have a head and face injury?
After obtaining primary medical care, contact a legal professional. Many attorneys specialize in obtaining compensation for head and face injury victims and will give you a free case consultation.
Spinal cord injuries are dangerous and can result in paralysis or death. The spinal cord is what connects the brain to the body. Spinal cord injuries usually begin with a blow to the spine, which can happen as a result of automobile accidents, falls, assaults and dives into water. The most damage occurs when pieces of the vertebrae put pressure on nerves, which can cause impairment and immobility. That is why it is so important to keep a victim of spinal cord injury still.
Spinal cords transmit signals that control breathing, movement, bowel movement, sexual feeling, blood pressure and other essential functions. In serious spinal cord injuries, the nerves at the site of injury are so severely damaged that there is no feeling or movement below that point, resulting in paralysis.
Approximately 450,000 people living in the U.S. have spinal cord injuries, and there are about 10,000 new cases every year. The majority of spinal cord injury victims are males between the ages of 16 and 30 years old.
Automobile accidents are one of the primary causes of spinal cord injuries. Millions of people are involved in automobile accidents every year, and thousands of them are injured. Fifty percent of spinal cord injuries each year are caused by automobile accidents.
The next highest cause of spinal cord injuries is violence, or assaults. Gunshot and knife wounds account for the worst, and greatest amount, of injuries to the spinal cord because of violence.
Falls usually occur to older people, although falls from horses, bicycles and while participating in sports such as climbing, bungee jumping and skydiving can also contribute to spinal cord injuries that happen because of falls. Other sports that cause spinal cord injuries include impact sports such as football, rugby and wrestling, as well as speed sports such as speed skating, racecar driving and bobsledding.
The final greatest contributor to spinal cord injuries is disease. Illnesses such as cancer, viral and bacterial infections and arthritis contribute to spinal cord injuries every year.
Spinal cord injuries happen to men more than they happen to women. Other people who are more likely to suffer from spinal cord injuries are those who participate in high elevation, speed or impact sports, and young adults and seniors.
The area of the spine that is damaged determines the areas of the body that are affected. For example, the higher the damage, the greater the extent of paralysis. Spinal cord nerves control breathing, movement, bowel movement, sexual feeling, blood pressure and other essential functions. When a person is paralyzed, he or she loses the ability to control these functions.
Many people with paralysis continue to lead happy lives. Extensive therapy (both physical and mental) and medication is necessary to maintain muscle health and overall health. Mechanical devices have been invented, and continue to be invented, to assist people in their daily activities.
If you or a loved one receives a spinal cord injury, here are some steps to make sure your doctor takes in order to receive the best possible treatment:
The drug methylprednisolone can reduce improve recovery by 20 percent. It must be administered within 8 hours of when the injury occurred.
If the spinal cord was compressed, make sure it is decompressed as quickly as possible.
Ask your doctor to treat for blood clots.
Make sure your doctor cares for other affected areas, including lungs, heart and bladder.
If you witness or are involved in a spinal cord injury, do not move the victim. Make sure the victim is breathing and has a heartbeat. If not, administer CPR or find someone who can. Call 911. Make sure you tell them the patient needs to go to a Level 1 trauma center. Also, it is very important to contact a personal injury lawyer immediately. Many or all of your medical expenses and other expenses might be covered.
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