Various Auto Injuries And Their Treatment Options

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Auto Injuries

Road accidents are not uncommon in the United States. Every day people get involved in auto accidents and get injured. The NHTSA reports show that, even during the pandemic, over 38,000 people in America have died in motor vehicle crashes. Many people involved in such accidents suffer life-altering injuries.

Checking with a doctor and diagnosing your injuries is crucial after an auto accident. Leaving it untreated can escalate the severity of the damage over time. Consult with doctors specializing in treating musculoskeletal auto injuries at the West Orange pain center of NJ.

Auto injuries and their treatments

Herniated disc

A car accident occurs when another car hits your vehicle with a great extent of force. A powerful force like this can cause the nucleus of the intervertebral disc to push through a crack in the annulus. It causes the herniated disc to add pressure to the surrounding nerves, which results in pain.

Treatment:

  • Physical therapy
  • Hot/cold therapy
  • Chiropractic manipulation
  • Pain medications
  • Surgery

Whiplash

Whiplash is a common type of neck pain after suffering an auto accident. When you suffer a rear-end accident, the force causes your head to move forward and then backward. Such movements of the cervical vertebrae cause the spine to form an S-shaped curve, which can cause a herniated disc and damage the soft tissues.

Treatment:

  • Pain medications
  • Injections
  • Resting
  • Hot/cold therapy
  • Exercise
  • Physical therapy
  • Foam collars

Paralysis

When an auto accident injures a nerve severely in your spinal cord, it causes paralysis. Paralysis limits your ability to make voluntary movements of your muscles. It often happens when there occurs a problem in your body’s nervous system. When your nerves fail to work, they are unable to send signals to your brain, which results in paralysis.

Treatment:

Permanent paralysis cannot be treated. However, temporary cases like Bell’s palsy often resolve without treatment. However, some paralysis accommodation options may help.

  • Rehabilitation
  • Adaptive equipment
  • Voice-activated technology
  • Assistive equipment
  • Orthotic/prosthetic devices

Knee damages

Various knee injuries can be acquired from a car accident. For example, some car accidents can cause your knee to twist forcefully or cause hyper-flexing of the knee joint, which results in a condition known as a torn meniscus. Therapy can be used to provide relief, but surgery may be needed when the method fails.

Other car accident knee injuries include fractures, MCL tear, and torn ACL. Knee fractures, depending on the severity, may or may not require surgery. The treatment options for MCL tear and torn ACL are as follows.

Treatment:

  • Resting
  • Ice therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Exercise
  • Taking oral pain medications
  • Elastic bandage
  • Braces
  • Surgery