John W. Redmann | August 9, 2024 | Personal Injury
According to data collected over the last decade by Louisiana State University’s Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS), there are, on average, just over 800 fatalities each year related to car accidents on state roadways. Many more people suffer injuries ranging from minor to severe.
Among the most common injuries sustained in car, truck, and motorcycle accidents are those that affect the neck and spine, including herniated discs. What do these injuries entail, and what can you do if you suffer a herniated disc? Here are a few things you should know.
What Is the Cervical Spine?
The cervical spine includes the first seven vertebrae in your spine, which make up your neck. These vertebrae are labeled C1 through C7, with C1 at the top and C7 at the bottom.
Flexible discs rest between the vertebrae, providing cushion and mobility that allows you to comfortably rotate, bend, and stretch the neck. These discs consist of an outer ring of resilient, fibrous cartilage and an inner, gel-like core.
What Is a Herniated Disc?
A herniated disc, also called a ruptured or slipped disc, occurs when you suffer trauma to the cervical spine that causes a tear or split in the tough outer ring of the disc, allowing the gel-like center to seep out.
This can lead to a variety of symptoms, including:
- Sharp, burning pain
- Shooting pain in the extremities
- Numbness or tingling in the extremities
- Muscle weakness
The location of symptoms will depend on the site of the injury, particularly if it causes secondary harm, like pressure on nerves. For example, it’s not uncommon to experience symptoms like pain, numbness, or tingling on only one side of the body or only in the arm or leg.
Why Are Cervical Spine Injuries So Common in Accidents?
One of the most common injuries in a traffic accident is whiplash. This occurs when the head is thrown violently back and forth or side-to-side due to the force of a collision, causing the neck to overextend.
Whiplash can also occur due to other types of accidents, like slip and fall or workplace accidents. When the neck is overextended, the force of the movement can cause several types of injuries, including herniated discs, and these frequently impact discs between the C4/C5 and C5/C6 vertebrae.
Possible Treatments For Herniated Discs
You might be surprised to learn that about 90% of people who experience a herniated disc can see improvement with non-surgical treatments. These could include rest, heating/icing, over-the-counter pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and spinal injections like steroids to reduce swelling and inflammation.
If these treatments don’t work, surgery may be necessary. Surgical options include:
- Discectomy: Remove the herniated disc
- Laminectomy: Remove bone to expand the spinal canal
- Artificial Disc Surgery: Replace the damaged disc with an artificial substitute
- Spinal Fusion: Join two or more vertebrae to increase stability
If left untreated, herniated discs can worsen over time, increasing the chances you’ll require surgical intervention.
What To Do After Herniating a Disc in an Accident
Symptoms of neck injuries like herniated discs can worsen in the hours, days, and weeks following your accident. Even if your pain is minimal in the immediate aftermath, you should always seek a medical diagnosis immediately to identify and treat injuries.
If your accident was due to the negligence of others, you may want to contact an experienced attorney to fight for compensation. This can cover medical bills, lost wages, and possibly even non-economic damages, depending on the circumstances and severity of the accident.
Contact the Metairie Personal Injury Lawyers of The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident in Metairie or Gretna, Louisiana, and need legal help, contact our car accident attorneys at The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC, to schedule a free case review today.
We serve Jefferson Parish County and Louisiana’s surrounding Areas
The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC – Metairie, LA Office
2901 N Causeway Blvd, STE 202
Metairie, LA, 70002
(504) 500-5000
The Law Office of John W. Redmann, LLC – Gretna, LA Office
1101 Westbank Expy
Gretna, LA, 70053
(504) 384-8053
