subject: Low Back Pain Car Accident Orange County [print this page] While neck injuries are substantially more common after a car accident, lower back pain is still a significant problem that is often overlooked. Worse many insurers question whether a low back can be injured in a car accident.
Not only are back strains common in car accidents, but serious injuries such as disc herniation and bulges are not uncommon. These types of injuries are more common due to degeneration of the disc prior to the accident, but which were often not symptomatic until after the accident.
Interestingly enough, many studies have shown that lower back pain after a car accident is often delayed. Headaches, neck pain and nausea are often early signs of injury after a car crash, but it may be days, weeks or months before low back pain emerges. A slower onset of back pain generally means a disc problem like disc bulging or a herniated disc. These injuries tend to take time before the disc bulges or herniates after it has been initially
injured in the impact.
Signs of a serious lower back injury from a car accident:
Delayed onset of weeks or moths after collision
Pain is centered in middle of lower back and not in muscles
Pain is aggravated by bending forward, coughing and/or sneezing
Pain radiates to buttocks, leg or foot
Back cannot straighten up or is pulled to one side
What to do after a car accident low back injury:
Consult a car accident doctor who is also a back specialist
Physical examination
X-rays and/or MRI of back
Appropriate treatment
Typical treatments for car accident low back pain:
Rehabilitative treatment to restore proper bio-mechanics, range of motion and strength (chiropractic manipulation, active exercises, resisted stretching)
Non-surgical Spinal decompression may be required if you have suffered a disc problem like disc herniation or a bulging disc.
Spinal disc surgery if non-surgical treatments have failed to relieve your pain or function.
