Herniated Disc or Disks from a Car Accident? Contact Tampa Automobile Accidents Attorney Dale Appell, P.A. for Assistance

A herniated disk is one of the more painful injuries a person can sustain from a car accident. The symptoms of a herniated disk are severe and include muscle spasms, muscle weakness, deep and radiating pain all over the body, tingling, numbness, and more. Many car accident victims do not even realize they have a herniated disk and are left to endure this debilitating injury without medical treatment or financial compensation. For those who have been in a car accident in the greater Tampa Bay, Florida area and are experiencing severe, radiating pain in the neck, shoulders, lower back, arms or legs, we recommend you consult with Tampa automobile accidents attorney Dale Appell, P.A. to learn more about receiving treatment and compensation for your injuries.

To understand the complications of a herniated disk (or “disc”), it helps to learn the basic anatomy of the spinal column. The spinal column is comprised of the spinal cord surrounded by circular, protective bones called vertebrae. In between each vertebra is a round pad that helps protect the spinal column and cushions it from impacts or shocks. These round pads also give the vertebrae column flexibility so that you can bend forward, backwards, twist, etc. These round cushions are called spinal disks.

Spinal disks have a hard covering with a somewhat softer inside. The impact of an automobile accident can cause one or more spinal disks to rupture. Once this happens, material inside the spinal disk or disks leaks out and presses upon the surrounding nerves of the spinal cord. The result is severe and devastating pain. In addition, the pressure from the disk on the nerves can cause loss of use of bodily functions so that the person may lose control of their bladder, begin to drop things out of their hands, or stumble when they walk. In some cases, the damage to the disks and nerves can be irreversible.

Herniated discs are not the same as bulging discs, although it is easy to confuse the terms. Whether a disc is bulging or herniated depends on the degree of the change in the shape of the disc. Minor changes in the shape are considered bulges and often may not cause too much of a problem. But every person is different and while a bulge may cause no symptoms in one person, another may feel significant pain. A herniation is a much more significant change in the shape of the disc and generally presents a much more significant problem for people. Herniations can be further defined as "protrusions" and "extrusions". An extrusion means that disc material from inside the disc has actually been squeezed out of the interior of the disk and is present in the spinal canal. Extrusions are the most significant type of herniation and will quite often require surgery to correct.

The excruciating pain of a herniated disk can radiate to any area of the body, depending on which disk or disks are herniated. Pain may shoot through the entire body or to one particular area. Herniated disk pain may also be located in the legs, arms, lower back, or neck.

As a herniated disk patient, you may need multiple tests and scans to locate your injury. Going to your local Tampa, Florida emergency room after your automobile accident will probably not be enough to diagnose a herniated disk. For a proper diagnosis, your doctor will likely use a CT scan, MRI scan, EMG, or other advanced imagery to see your herniated disk injury. An x-ray image cannot be used to see a herniated disk as x-rays are only capable of showing bony structures in the body such as the vertebrae.

Unfortunately, diagnosing the injury does not guarantee it will be cured. Some car accident victims with herniated disks experience a lifetime of pain and disability. Treatment options include rest, anti-inflammatory medicines, muscle relaxants, physical therapy, and steroidal injections. If these treatments do not work, surgery may be recommended to remove the herniated disk.

For those lucky enough to heal from herniated discs, recovery time can be several months to more than a year. During that time, herniated disc patients typically will be forced to stop working and participating in most activities. Some may have to permanently change their career path.

Tampa automobile accidents attorney Dale Appell has dedicated his career to helping accident victims recover financially from their injuries, including those who endure the devastating pain of herniated disk injuries. Please contact our Tampa, Florida law firm for a free initial consultation about your case. Our location is convenient to the entire west central Florida area including Polk, Hillsborough, Clearwater, Pinellas Park, Hudson, Pinellas, Largo, St Petersburg, Sun City Center, Pasco, and beyond.