Disc Herniations After Auto and Work Accidents: A Chiropractic Science Guide

Abstract

Car crashes and workplace accidents can place sudden pressure, twisting, and compression on the spine. These forces may damage the soft discs between the spinal bones. Common injuries include annular tears, disc protrusions, disc extrusions, and separated disc fragments.

Many people recover through conservative treatment. This may include integrative chiropractic care, spinal decompression, corrective exercise, rehabilitation, and medical pain management. Regenerative therapies such as platelet-rich plasma, platelet-fibrin products, and microfragmented adipose tissue may also be considered for selected patients. However, these treatments cannot promise to rebuild a severely damaged disc.

At Chiropractic Scientist, the goal is to look beyond the MRI report. A complete plan should consider the type of disc injury, nerve function, movement, pain pattern, overall health, and physical demands placed on the patient.

Understanding the Spinal Disc

Spinal discs are soft structures located between the bones of the spine. They absorb shock, support movement, and help protect the spinal joints.

Each disc has two main parts:

• Annulus fibrosus: The strong outer ring
• Nucleus pulposus: The softer center of the disc

A disc herniation happens when the inner material moves through a weakened or damaged area of the outer ring. The displaced material may irritate or press against a spinal nerve.

Symptoms can include:

• Neck or lower back pain
• Pain traveling into an arm or leg
• Sciatica
• Numbness or tingling
• Muscle weakness
• Reduced reflexes
• Difficulty sitting, bending, lifting, or walking

Disc-related pain may come from physical nerve pressure, inflammation around the nerve, or both. Some disc herniations are also found on MRI scans in people who do not have symptoms. For this reason, the MRI must be compared with the patient’s examination and pain pattern (Stretanski et al., 2025).

How Car Accidents Can Cause Disc Herniations

A motor vehicle accident may force the body forward, backward, or sideways within seconds. The seat belt may hold part of the body in place while the neck, lower back, or pelvis continues moving.

This can expose the spine to:

• Sudden compression
• Rapid bending and extension
• Rotation or twisting
• Shearing forces
• Direct impact
• Muscle and ligament strain

Even a collision that does not appear severe may place enough force on a weakened disc to cause symptoms. A person may also have a disc bulge or age-related degeneration before the accident. The crash may irritate that area or turn a previously painless condition into a painful injury.

A careful personal injury evaluation should therefore review the crash details, symptom onset, previous history, physical findings, and diagnostic imaging.

How Workplace Accidents Affect the Spine

Disc injuries may also happen during one major work accident or after repeated physical stress.

Common work-related causes include:

• Lifting heavy materials
• Twisting while carrying weight
• Slipping and falling
• Falling from a ladder
• Pushing or pulling equipment
• Repeated bending
• Operating vibrating machinery
• Moving patients or supplies
• Sitting or driving for long periods

A person who bends forward, twists, and lifts at the same time may place a large amount of pressure on a lumbar disc. Occupational loading and manual material handling are recognized risk factors for lumbar disc problems, especially when combined with age-related disc changes (Stretanski et al., 2025).

Common Types of Disc Injuries

Annular Tear or Annular Fissure

An annular fissure is a split or crack in the disc’s outer ring. The injury may result from gradual wear, repeated physical stress, or sudden trauma.

Some annular fissures do not cause symptoms. Others allow inflammatory chemicals from the disc to irritate nearby nerves and tissues.

Possible symptoms include:

• Deep neck or back pain
• Pain with sitting
• Pain during bending or lifting
• Muscle spasms
• Pain with coughing or sneezing
• Referred pain into the hips, shoulders, arms, or legs

An annular fissure does not always mean that the inner material has moved completely outside the disc.

Disc Protrusion

A protrusion is a focused herniation. Part of the disc pushes outward, but the displaced section remains connected to the main disc.

A small protrusion may cause severe symptoms when it presses on a nerve. A larger protrusion may cause very little pain when it does not affect a sensitive structure.

The effect of a protrusion depends on:

• Its size
• Its location
• The amount of inflammation
• Whether a nerve is compressed
• The patient’s neurological findings
• The available space inside the spinal canal

Disc Extrusion

An extrusion occurs when the inner disc material pushes farther through the outer ring. The part outside the disc may be wider than the opening through which it passed.

Disc extrusions can cause:

• Sharp or burning pain
• Sciatica
• Arm or leg numbness
• Tingling
• Weakness
• Reduced reflexes
• Difficulty standing or walking

An extrusion does not always require surgery. The immune system may gradually break down and absorb some extruded disc material. Most acute disc symptoms improve with conservative management, but worsening weakness or other neurological problems require prompt medical evaluation (Stretanski et al., 2025).

Disc Sequestration

A sequestration happens when a piece of disc material separates from the main disc. The loose fragment may move within the spinal canal and irritate a nerve.

This condition must be evaluated carefully. Treatment depends on the fragment’s location, the severity of nerve pressure, and whether the patient is losing strength or neurological function.

Bulging Disc

A bulging disc usually involves a wider section of the disc’s outer border. It is not the same as a focused protrusion or extrusion.

Bulging discs are often connected with aging and disc dehydration. However, an accident may irritate a previously painless bulge or worsen nearby inflammation. The terms bulge, protrusion, extrusion, and sequestration describe different disc shapes and should not be used as though they mean the same thing (Absolute Injury and Pain Physicians, n.d.).

Can Regenerative Medicine Repair a Herniated Disc?

Regenerative medicine aims to use biological materials to support the body’s healing response. However, the word “regenerative” should not be understood as a promise that a damaged disc will become new again.

The possible results depend on:

• The type of disc injury
• The depth of the annular damage
• The amount of disc degeneration
• The presence of nerve pressure
• The length of time symptoms have been present
• The patient’s age and health
• Smoking or tobacco use
• Metabolic health
• Participation in rehabilitation
• The treatment location and technique

A regenerative procedure may be used to reduce pain, influence inflammation, support damaged tissues, or improve function. It may not reverse a large extrusion, remove a loose fragment, or correct severe spinal cord pressure.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Disc-Related Pain

Platelet-rich plasma, commonly called PRP, is prepared from the patient’s blood. The blood is processed to create a solution with a higher platelet concentration.

Platelets release growth factors and signaling proteins involved in normal healing. Depending on the diagnosis, PRP may be placed into the disc, around supporting ligaments, or near other injured spinal tissues.

Some small studies have reported reduced pain and improved function after intradiscal PRP. However, the available studies use different preparation methods, injection techniques, and patient selection rules. A major systematic review rated the evidence supporting intradiscal biologic treatments as very low quality (Schneider et al., 2022).

Research results are also mixed. One randomized trial found that intradiscal PRP did not provide a significant improvement over a control injection after one year. The study also reported one serious disc infection following treatment (Schepers et al., 2022).

PRP may still be considered for certain cases of chronic disc-related pain, but it should not be presented as a guaranteed cure. Careful diagnosis, sterile technique, imaging guidance, and informed consent are important.

Platelet-Fibrin Products

Platelet-fibrin products, or PFP, are made from the patient’s blood and are related to PRP. These preparations contain platelets held within a fibrin structure.

Fibrin is part of the body’s normal clotting and healing process. The fibrin network may hold platelets and signaling proteins near an injured area for a longer period.

However, platelet products are not all the same. Their platelet concentration, white blood cell content, fibrin structure, and preparation method may differ. Evidence for platelet-fibrin products in nonsurgical disc herniation treatment is more limited than the evidence for PRP.

Patients should ask the treating clinician:

• What product is being used?
• How is it prepared?
• Where will it be placed?
• Will imaging guidance be used?
• What risks are involved?
• What evidence supports its use for this diagnosis?

Microfragmented Adipose Tissue

Microfragmented adipose tissue, or MFAT, is created from a small amount of the patient’s fat tissue. The tissue is collected and processed before it is placed into a damaged area.

MFAT contains structural tissue, cells that support small blood vessels, and biological signaling substances. Researchers are studying whether these components can help manage inflammation and support tissue healing.

Most stronger MFAT research has involved knee arthritis and other joint conditions. Evidence for its use inside damaged spinal discs remains limited. A systematic review of intradiscal biologic treatments found that the overall evidence for PRP, microfragmented fat, and similar treatments was not yet strong enough to establish routine effectiveness (Schneider et al., 2022).

The FDA also warns that regenerative products marketed for disc disease, back pain, or other orthopedic conditions may not have FDA approval for those uses. Patients should receive clear information about the product and its regulatory status before proceeding.

Can IV Infusions Heal a Herniated Disc?

IV infusions do not push a herniated disc back into place. They also cannot close a major annular fissure or remove disc material pressing against a nerve.

IV treatment may be medically useful when a patient has:

• Dehydration
• A documented vitamin deficiency
• A medical condition requiring intravenous medication
• Difficulty absorbing certain nutrients
• Another clear clinical need

When used correctly, an infusion may support the patient’s overall health during recovery. However, general wellness infusions should not be described as direct treatments for disc protrusions or extrusions.

IV therapy should be based on the patient’s medical history, medications, kidney function, heart health, laboratory results, and individual risk factors.

How Integrative Chiropractic Care Fits Into Treatment

Chiropractic treatment does not simply “pop” a herniated disc back into position. Integrative chiropractic care focuses on movement, joint function, muscle balance, posture, nerve irritation, and safe physical recovery.

A personalized plan may include:

• Gentle chiropractic adjustments
• Spinal mobilization
• Flexion-distraction
• Nonsurgical spinal decompression
• Soft-tissue treatment
• Corrective exercise
• Core stabilization
• Posture training
• Nerve-mobility exercises
• Lifting and workplace instruction
• Progressive rehabilitation

Spinal decompression applies controlled traction to the spine. The purpose is to reduce mechanical pressure and improve movement tolerance. It is not suitable for every patient, and claims that it permanently repairs all damaged discs go beyond the available evidence.

At Chiropractic Scientist, disc care is based on the examination rather than using the same adjustment or decompression setting for every person. Our educational resources also explain the role of spinal decompression for herniated discs and chiropractic care for disc-related symptoms. The website’s focus combines musculoskeletal care, rehabilitation, functional health, and personal injury services within the clinician’s professional scope.

Chiropractic Care and Regenerative Treatment Work Differently

Chiropractic care and regenerative therapy do not perform the same job.

Regenerative treatment may focus on:

• Biological signaling
• Local inflammation
• Injured connective tissue
• Supporting the healing response

Chiropractic and rehabilitation may focus on:

• Restricted joint motion
• Muscle guarding
• Poor movement patterns
• Weakness and instability
• Mechanical stress
• Returning to normal activity

Combining these approaches may help selected patients when the treatment plan is medically appropriate. However, the benefits must be evaluated honestly. A combination of treatments does not guarantee that an extrusion will disappear or that surgery will never be needed.

The Chiropractic Scientist model emphasizes the relationship between structure, movement, tissue health, and the nervous system. More information is available in Chiropractic and Regenerative Therapies for Injury Management and Regenerative Therapies for Personal Injury and Pain Management.

A Multidisciplinary El Paso Care Model

Dr. Alexander Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CCST, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, serves as Clinical Director at Injury Medical Clinic PA in El Paso, Texas. His work combines chiropractic care, family practice training, functional medicine principles, personal injury care, and rehabilitation.

Dr. Jimenez’s clinical observations emphasize several important points:

• The MRI should be compared with the patient’s symptoms.
• Nerve function must be checked regularly.
• Treatment should progress from pain control to restored movement and strength.
• Nutrition and metabolic health may affect recovery.
• A patient should be referred when the condition requires care outside the clinic’s scope.
• Objective findings are important in personal injury and work-related cases.

These clinical observations are not a replacement for controlled research. They reflect patterns observed during patient evaluation and care.

Dr. Jimenez works with Dr. Maria Guadalupe Cardenas, MD, who is board-certified in internal medicine and has more than 40 years of medical experience. Dr. Cardenas serves as Medical Director and Collaborative Physician. Practice materials list her NPI as 1164426749 and her Texas medical license as J2933.

Within this multidisciplinary model:

• Dr. Jimenez addresses musculoskeletal function, chiropractic care, rehabilitation, functional health, and injury recovery.
• Dr. Cardenas provides internal medicine knowledge, medical direction, risk assessment, and collaborative oversight.
• The clinical team coordinates personal injury services, functional medicine, diagnostic testing, rehabilitation, and appropriate referrals.

This setup is common in integrative and injury care because patients may have several conditions at the same time. A disc injury can occur along with muscle strains, ligament injuries, headaches, joint restrictions, metabolic disease, sleep problems, or medication concerns.

When Disc Symptoms Require Urgent Care

Most herniated discs do not require emergency surgery. However, some symptoms may signal serious nerve or spinal cord pressure.

Seek urgent medical evaluation for:

• New loss of bladder control
• New loss of bowel control
• Numbness around the groin or inner thighs
• Rapidly increasing arm or leg weakness
• Severe difficulty walking
• Loss of hand coordination
• Fever with severe spinal pain
• Pain following major trauma
• Symptoms of spinal cord compression

These symptoms may indicate cauda equina syndrome, spinal cord injury, infection, fracture, or another emergency. Chiropractic care, decompression, or regenerative injections should not delay emergency testing or surgical consultation (Stretanski et al., 2025).

The Chiropractic Science View of Disc Recovery

Disc protrusions, extrusions, annular fissures, and sequestrations can occur after car crashes and workplace injuries. Still, the MRI label alone does not determine the best treatment.

Many patients improve through conservative care. A complete plan may include chiropractic treatment, rehabilitation, activity changes, medical management, and careful monitoring of nerve function.

PRP may provide pain relief for selected patients, but the research is mixed. Evidence for platelet-fibrin products and MFAT in spinal discs remains limited. IV infusions may support a documented medical need, but they are not proven to repair a herniated disc.

At Chiropractic Scientist and Injury Medical Clinic PA, the focus is on coordinated care. The purpose is to understand how the injury affects the whole person and to select treatment based on clinical findings, safety, function, and evidence.

For more information about an El Paso disc injury evaluation, contact Injury Medical Clinic PA at 915-850-0900.

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References

Absolute Injury and Pain Physicians. (n.d.). Types of disc injuries.

Chiropractic Scientist. (n.d.). Regenerative therapies for personal injury and pain management.

Chiropractic Scientist. (2026). Chiropractic and regenerative therapies for injury management.

Food and Drug Administration. (2021). Important patient and consumer information about regenerative medicine therapies.

Health Coach Clinic. (n.d.). Chiropractic and regenerative medicine enhances healing.

Mahoney Chiropractic Group. (n.d.). Advanced spinal decompression for disc relief.

Naples Regenerative Institute. (n.d.). Can regenerative medicine repair my herniated disc?.

Open Wellness PDX. (n.d.). What is regenerative injection therapy? A complete guide to PRP, prolotherapy, and perineural injection.

Orthobiologics Associates. (n.d.). PRP for herniated disc: Everything you need to know.

Schepers, M. O., Groot, D., Kleinjan, E. M., Pol, M. M., Mylenbusch, H., & Klopper-Kes, A. H. J. (2022). Effectiveness of intradiscal platelet-rich plasma for discogenic low back pain without Modic changes: A randomized controlled trial. Interventional Pain Medicine, 1(1), 100011.

Schneider, B. J., Hunt, C., Conger, A., Qu, W., Maus, T. P., Vorobeychik, Y., Cheng, J., Duszynski, B., & McCormick, Z. L. (2022). The effectiveness of intradiscal biologic treatments for discogenic low back pain: A systematic review. The Spine Journal, 22(2), 226–237.

Stretanski, M. F., Hu, Y., & Mesfin, F. B. (2025). Disk herniation. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.