Are You enduring Lower Back Pain Injury after an accident?
Lower back pain is a common experience after a traumatic accident. When pain is intense, a person will be unable to sit up or walk, and they might not even be able to sleep without the assistance of medication. Lower back pain is a disabling injury. Hundreds of people call in sick when the pain gets too intense.
At The Stano Law Firm, we help men and women injured in a variety of accidents. If you are in pain, give us a call. A Houston personal injury attorney with our firm can meet with you at our office to go over your legal rights and discuss whether you can make an injury claim.
What Injuries Cause Lower Back Pain?
Our clients suffer some of the most common lower back injuries:
- Herniated disc. Rubbery discs sit between the vertebrae in your spine to provide cushion and prevent the bones from rubbing against each other when you bend or twist your back. But a violent accident can displace the disc or cause the inner filling to extrude, leading to pain.
- Fracture. A violent fall or other accident can crack bones, even the bones in your spine. You should immediately treat any fracture before bone fragments puncture or slice into your spinal cord.
- Sprain. Torn or stretched ligaments in your lower back can lead to a sprain. You might feel constant throbbing pain but also acute sharp pains when you move.
- Strain. A violent wrenching motion can stretch muscles in the lower back, causing chronic pain.
- Spinal stenosis. This injury involves a narrowing of the channel in your spinal column, which can compress the spinal cord. You might experience constant pain, including weakness or numbness in your feet and legs.
- Spondylolisthesis. A traumatic accident can displace vertebrae in your lower back, causing intense anguish as vertebrae press against each other.
How Doctors Diagnose Lower Back Injuries
After an accident, you might feel pain but not know the cause. You should immediately go to the hospital or your doctor, who can perform different tests:
- Your doctor can ask questions to better understand how the accident happened and your precise symptoms. This information aids in diagnosis.
- Your doctor might test your reflexes, such as in your feet or legs.
- A doctor might order an imaging test, like an MRI or X-ray, to see injuries.
Once your doctor makes a diagnosis, you can discuss treatment. Some lower back injuries require rest and conservative treatment, including painkillers or anti-inflammatories. You might also undergo physical therapy or massage to promote healing.
More serious back injuries often require surgery. For example, your doctor might stabilize the spine with screws or implant an artificial disc. After recovering from surgery, you could undergo rounds of physical therapy or other rehabilitation before you can return to work.