Neck injuries from a Bucks County car accident are common and can be debilitating. Bucks County personal injury lawyer Michael L. Saile, Jr. represents many people who have sustained neck injuries due to being involved in numerous types of PA and NJ accidents, including rear-end accidents, head-on accidents, or side-impact accidents.
There are various neck injuries that can be suffered after a Philadelphia area accident, each type of injury may require a different type of treatment. However, in order to know exactly what form of neck injury you are suffering and how to best treat it, you should see your family doctor as soon as possible following your PA or NJ accident and follow his/her recommendations. Depending on the severity of your accident injury, treatment may consist of anything from anti-inflammatory medications to physical therapy to surgery. Your doctor will send you for the diagnostic testing needed to learn of your exact injury.
The neck injuries listed below fall into the category of traumatic car accident neck injuries.
- NECK SPRAIN is when the ligaments that connect bones to other bones are stretched or torn in the neck. This injury can cause pain and stiffness in the neck for days or weeks. The reason this type of neck injury is so common is because this part of the spine is the least protected area. A good way to treat a neck sprain is to take over-the-counter medication to reduce the swelling of the ligament. Ice application in 20-minute increments is also recommended to dull the pain and further reduce inflammation.
- NECK STRAIN involves the muscles in the neck. When those muscles become stretched or torn, you likely have a neck strain. This injury is more commonly referred to as a pulled muscle or whiplash. The injury can also be called hyperextension or hyper flexion. Treatment of this injury is similar to that of the neck sprain. You might need to add a cervical collar to your treatment remedy to keep the neck stable during healing.
- CERVICAL RADICULOPOTHY is an injury more commonly known as a pinched nerve. When a nerve is pinched, the pinching causes the nerve to not work the way it is supposed to. The result of this is usually weakness in the muscles that are affected by that particular nerve, numbness of the skin in the affected area, or pain in the general area that the nerve travels. Pinched nerves can be treated with support braces to limit the movement in the neck. Medications may also be prescribed by your doctor.
- HERNIATED DISC occurs when motion of the neck puts too much pressure on a certain disc in the neck and causes the jelly-like substance in the center of the disc to push out through the side of the disc. The pressure of this neck injury can cause pain, numbness, and weakness. Treatments for herniated discs may involve physical therapy, chiropractic, and hot and cold compress application.
A neck injury sustained in a Pennsylvania car accident could keep you in pain and prevent you from living your everyday life. To learn more about car accident injuries, and how to recover, visit our informative website. While there, be sure to order your FREE copy of Attorney Michael L. Saile, Jr.’s PA Car Accident Book, which contains very useful details about how to proceed after being involved in a PA accident.
