Some of the most common types of spinal injuries caused by auto accidents are whiplash, herniated discs, spinal cord damage and spinal stenosis.

While motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal injuries, other less common causes include falls, sports injuries, complications from surgery and gunshot wounds.

What Is a Spinal Injury?

Your spinal cord is a long and vertical length of nerve tissue that runs from the base of your skull all the way down your back. The spinal cord is surrounded by 33 vertebrae and 23 discs located between each vertebra. These vertebrae and discs support your entire body, allowing you to stand, walk, bend and perform various other movements.

A sudden and traumatic blow to your spine caused by a car crash can damage these vertebrae, discs and the spinal cord itself.

Injuries suffered by the vertebrae and discs are often temporary. Prompt administration of the proper medical care can potentially result in a full recovery. The same cannot always be said about spinal cord injuries, which may lead to permanent disability.

Symptoms of a Spinal Injury

If you’ve hurt your spine in a car accident, you’ll likely experience mild to severe pain in the affected area. Never ignore a back injury, as the failure to receive proper treatment may result in long-term pain or limited mobility. See a doctor who can provide a medical diagnosis of your condition and prescribe the optimal treatment as soon as possible.

Signs of a spinal injury can vary depending on its severity and location. However, if you experience the following symptoms, you should see a doctor right away:

• Severe or worsening pain in the neck or back
• Loss of mobility
• Incontinence
• Difficulty breathing or coughing
• Muscle spasms in the back or limbs
• Weakness or numbness in the limbs

Common Types of Spinal Injuries

Whiplash

Although whiplash is most frequently associated with rear-end collisions, other types of auto accidents or traumatic events can also cause whiplash. A rapid halt to the body’s motion or change in direction can result in the head violently whipping forwards and backwards or side to side, which can damage the muscles, tendons or joints in the neck. People with minor whiplash injuries may experience few or even no symptoms. If you have suffered a serious case of whiplash, you’ll likely experience pain and stiffness in your neck, headaches and have difficulty moving your head.

Herniated Discs

Spinal discs are located between each vertebra and act as shock absorbers for your spine. Discs can be displaced or even ruptured by blunt force trauma from a car accident. When this happens, you will likely experience dull or sharp pain, especially if the displaced disc is pressing on a nerve. A herniated disc can typically be fixed with physical therapy, chiropractic manipulation and ice and heat therapy.

Spinal Cord Damage

Spinal cord damage can have devastating and life-altering consequences on a person’s health. Frequently, injuries to the spinal cord don’t respond to treatment and result in a permanent loss of mobility or range of motion. Spinal cord damage can be either incomplete or complete. When the injury is incomplete, the body retains some basic function and feeling.

Conversely, individuals with a complete spinal cord injury lose all feeling and function below the area of injury. There are also several chronic complications that may accompany a spinal cord injury, including incontinence, paralysis in the arms and/or legs, joint contracture and loss of sexual function.

Spinal Fractures

High-impact trauma from a car accident can cause your spine’s vertebrae to crack or even shatter. When a vertebrae fractures, it tends to pinch and damage surrounding nerves, which results in mild to severe pain, loss of mobility and in extreme cases, paralysis of the arms or legs.

Have You Suffered a Spinal Injury? Act Fast by Visiting a HURT911 Injury Center in Georgia

Injuring your back can jeopardize your ability to work, care for your family or even move freely. You cannot afford to postpone medical treatment if you believe you have suffered a back injury.

At HURT911, we offer advanced diagnostic tools and comprehensive treatment plans to accelerate your post-accident recovery.

Our board-certified doctors and chiropractors specialize in treating Atlanta residents, including those with spine injuries from car accidents.

Call 1-800-HURT-911 or send us a message to schedule your same-day appointment.