Back pain resulting from a motor vehicle accident is common and can be serious if left untreated. There are multiple mechanisms of injury depending on the nature of the impact, use of a seat belt, an air bag deployment, and other factors. Spinal injuries are caused by the lower back being forcefully pushed forward and backwards in a collision. Seeing a qualified and experienced physician to diagnose your injuries is essential in your recovery process. Make sure your physician examines and documents each and every one of your injuries. Ask your physician about the injuries below.
Ligaments – Ligaments can be sprained, stretched or torn. Generally, physical therapy is the best initial treatment and to avoid certain activities that can aggravate your injuries. Your physician may prescribe an anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant. If the pain continues after 6 to 8 weeks of physical therapy the ligaments may not be the only source of pain.
Lumbar Disc Injury – Lumbar discs are “shock absorbers” and prevent vertebrae from grinding together. Lumbar discs can be herniated and/or suffer tears that cause excruciating pain and discomfort. This injury causes increased pain while bending forward, sneezing, coughing, bearing down with bowel movements, and rising from a sitting position. Lumbar disc injury can also lead to lumbar radicular pain and spinal stenosis in severe cases. Physical therapy and medication may be prescribed as an initial treatment. If this treatment fails to relieve your symptoms an aggressive treatment will be prescribed for long term relief. Lumbar epidural injections are an effective treatment for back pain. Lumbar Discography injection technique are used to relieve back pain in patients who have not responded to extensive conservative care regimens. Dr. Parekh does offer minimally invasive surgical options such as the Disc-FX procedure which can effectively alleviate pain. For severe cases, a Spinal fusion may be performed to correct the problems with the small bones of the vertebrae.
Lumbar Radicular Pain – Radicular pain is secondary to chemical and/or mechanical compression of the nerves exiting in the lower back. The pain is often described as shooting pain down the legs or as a “lightning” type of pain sensation. Physical therapy and medication may be prescribed as an initial treatment. If this treatment fails to relieve your symptoms an aggressive treatment will be prescribed for long term relief. Lumbar epidural steroid injections are effective in reducing the chemical irritation and inflammation of the nerve root. It is recommended to have this treatment performed earlier rather than later, especially if you are suffering excruciating pain. Dr. Parekh does offer the minimally invasive surgical Disc-FX procedure that effectively alleviates lower back pain.
Lumbar Facet Injury – Just like knees, shoulders and hips, Lumbar facet joints are true joints and can be severely damaged. They are the most commonly injured structures and are often missed as a pain generator. These joints do not adequately show up on MRIs scans. They can suffer intra articular fractures and hemorrhages. These injuries typically cause aching or throbbing. This pain increases when standing, sitting upright, bending backwards, or twisting. Physical therapy and medication may be prescribed as an initial treatment. If this treatment fails to relieve your symptoms an aggressive treatment will be prescribed for long term relief. Diagnostic blocks are performed to diagnoses these injuries. A thermal ablation may be performed to relieve this pain and is a highly effective treatment. Dr. Parekh has performed over a 1,000 thermal ablations.
Sacroiliac Joint Pain – The sacroiliac joint is the largest joint in the body and is a common cause of lower back and buttocks pain following a motor vehicle accident. This is especially true if the legs are extended during impact or aggressively hitting the brakes causing direct force the sacroiliac joint. This injury is commonly missed due to being the “great imitator” as it presents pain similar to other pain syndromes. Performing a proper history and physical exam is critical to rule this joint in or out as a possible pain generator. Appropriate physical therapy may be prescribed as an initial treatment, but if the pain continues then sacroiliac joint injections can be performed. Diagnostic blocks and thermal ablation may be considered to the nerves to innervate the joint. Fusion may be performed to correct the problem and alleviate pain in this joint.
Thoracic Facet Injury – Just like knees, shoulders and hips, Thoracic facet joints are true joints and they can be severely damaged. These joints do not adequately show up on MRIs scans. They can suffer intra articular fractures and hemorrhages. These injuries typically cause aching or throbbing. This pain increases when standing, sitting upright, or twisting. Physical therapy and medication may be prescribed as an initial treatment. If this treatment fails to relieve your symptoms an aggressive treatment will be prescribed for long term relief. Diagnostic blocks are performed to diagnoses these injuries. A thermal ablation may be performed to relieve this pain and is a highly effective treatment. These joints can be effectively treated using facet blocks with steroids. Dr. Parekh has performed over a 1,000 thermal ablations.
Thoracic Disc Injury – Thoracic discs can herniate and/or suffer tears leading to excruciating pain and discomfort. This pain typically is described at a radiating pain around the chest wall. Thoracic facet injury should be ruled out prior to considering treatment. horacic disc injury can be difficult to treat.