Chronic and Acute Back Pain From a Car Crash

Sometimes the worst injuries are the invisible ones. Even a slower impact collision can result in serious whiplash that last for weeks, months, or years. Similarly, the most minor tweaks of the back can result in lasting pain for years. The accident does not need to be a traumatic rollover or a head-on collision; a severe back injury can result from a rear ender, of which there are 1.7 million rear end accidents each year, according to the Washington Post. As we all know, back injuries can occur from an afternoon of chopping wood, a game of touch football, or simply by sitting at a desk for too long. It is no wonder, then, that incredibly severe injuries occur regularly for victims of auto accidents. Often, the back injury may be overlooked, as other, more pressing injuries require medical attention first, such as broken bones, lacerations, or a traumatic brain injury. What began as a stabbing, acute pain can transform into chronic, lasting pain even if the patient is treated right away. This can result in a serious disability that hurts everything from home life to your work. If you have been injured in a car accident and have developed chronic or acute back pain, contact an experienced Cleveland, Ohio, car accident attorney at once for legal guidance.

Short-Term Acute Back Pain

Back pain that lasts less than three months or up to half a year can be described as acute back pain, according to Spine Health. It is directly caused by tissue damage (muscles or ligaments) and the symptoms include stabbing pain, aches, stiffness, decreased range of motion, and difficulty standing up as straight as you once did. The lower back is more susceptible to injury and acute pain than the upper back, and is the second most likely reason that Americans see their doctor. It is important to take care of acute back pain as soon as possible, because the longer it lasts, the more likely it will develop into chronic pain. Not only does long-lasting acute pain ruin a person’s mood and attitude towards their injury, it also increases the neurological pain signals even when the tissue damage is no longer present.

Long-Term Chronic Back Pain

The two types of chronic back are identifiable and non-identifiable pain sources. The first, identifiable, results from muscle, ligament, or spinal disc damage. A herniated disc, loss of disc fluid, or spinal stenosis all cause pain by putting extra pressure on the spinal cord. Spinal decompression surgery may offer relief for patients suffering from these types of spinal compression injuries. The second type of chronic back pain stems from no identifiable generator. This chronic “benign” back pain is caused by a neurological pain pathway that was created when the original injury occurred, and has lasted when the tissue or disc damage went away or was repaired. Now, the pain is the problem itself, not the injury, which can be incredibly frustrating for those seeking a cure. If your back has been injured in an auto crash, contact one of our Cleveland, Ohio car accident attorneys of the Chester Law Group Co. LPA today.

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