Spinal injuries are a serious matter that should never be taken lightly. Damages to the spinal cord and the surrounding nerves can not only be one of the most severe and debilitating types of pain you endure, but can also have detrimental effects on other parts of your body. Because the spine is a very strong part of the body, it is typically a traumatic event that causes spinal injury, although it isn’t the only cause.
In today’s post, we will be going over some of the common causes of spinal injury, physical symptoms, treatment, and when to know if you should contact a personal injury lawyer about your case. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our personal injury lawyers at Woods & Thompson, P.A. in Minneapolis if you have any questions.
Causes of Spinal Injury
While there are all sorts of ways that the spine can become injured, the most common causes include car accidents and falls. Some other common causes include:
- Acts of violence – gunshots, knives
- Sports injuries – impact sports, diving in shallow water
- Diseases – cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis
If you have experienced a spinal injury due to the negligence of another person, such as an auto accident, fall, or an act of violence, be sure to give our personal injury lawyers a call at Woods & Thompson, P.A. right away. First, though, be sure to seek medical treatment following an accident, as early intervention can help lessen damage that may otherwise be permanent.
Symptoms
When a person has been in an accident and experiences a spinal injury, there are multiple physical symptoms that he or she might experience. Some of these symptoms include:
- Pain that radiates down from the lower spine through the foot (radiculopathy)
- Difficulty walking
- Loss of ability to move arms or legs
- Loss of bowel and/or bladder control
- Loss of part or all skin sensations
If you have experienced an injury and are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to contact a medical professional right away.
Treatment
While treatment is decided on a case-by-case basis, immediate medical treatment is important for any type of spinal injury. Your doctor will have many different courses of treatment to take depending on the severity, location, and other factors involved with your specific injury. Some of these treatment options include:
1. Surgery
Immediately following an accident, a medical team will immobilize the injured individual in order to prevent movement or further damage from occurring. From there, surgery might be necessary in order to solve the issue depending on the seriousness of the spinal injury.
2. Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is often used alone or in conjunction with other treatments depending on the severity of the injury. If the trauma resulted in a herniated disc, the physical therapy may be focused on reducing the individual’s pain and swelling through strengthening exercises for extremities. For those who have suffered paraplegia or quadriplegia, physical therapy may be an ongoing treatment in order to maintain muscle tone and prevent stiffness.
3. Epidural Injections
When an individual suffers from nerve irritation, which is especially common with herniated or bulging discs, epidural steroid injections are a very common treatment option.
When to Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or someone you know has experienced a spinal injury due to the negligent actions of another individual, give our team of experienced personal injury lawyers a call at Woods & Thompson, P.A. in Minneapolis today. Our team can help protect your rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
