Types of Auto Injuries

Common auto injuries include:

Whiplash may occur after an impact or a forceful blow jerks your head back and forth, leading to tendon and muscle damage in your neck.

Back pain is a common injury caused by micro tears in the back ligaments or muscles, cervical disc damage, and spine compression.

Dizziness is very common in auto accidents, and several causes include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, cervicogenic dizziness, and vascular damage.

Broken or fractured bones are common in auto accidents and consist of numerous fractures, from partial cracks to broken bones in your back, neck, knee, arms, hands, or shoulders.

Joint dislocations (luxation) primarily result from the abnormal separation of connected bones in a joint. It’s a frequently occurring injury in a collision.

Muscle spasms and strains often occur due to muscle fiber and tendon damage due to overstretching.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is caused by direct injury to the spinal cord, surrounding tissues, or vertebrae and may affect the cervical, thoracic or lumbar area. This mainly damages the tight bundles of cells and nerves that send and receive signals from the brain to the rest of the body.

Traumatic brain injury usually results from a jolt or violent blow to the head, causing severe or mild trauma to the head that can result in bleeding, bruising, torn tissues, or other physical damage to the brain.

Symptoms of Auto Injury

Dizziness may be described with sensations like:

• Wooziness or heavy-headed or a feeling of floating
• A loss of balance or unsteadiness
• Faint or Lightheadedness
• Spinning or a false sense of motion

Fracture or broken bones signs and symptoms include:

• Pain that gets worse with touch or movement
• Bruising or discoloration
• Redness, tenderness, and swelling.
• Inability to bear weight on the affected area
• Visible deformity or bone exposure

Whiplash symptoms include:

• Pain or tenderness in the shoulder, arms, and upper back
• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Headaches emanating from the back of the head
• Numbness or tingling in the arms
• Fatigue and dizziness

Back injury symptoms may include:

• Pain
• Difficulty standing
• Stiffness
• Searing or burning pain radiates down your back and buttocks through the back of one or both legs.
• Muscle spasms that make your muscle twitch, a hard knot feeling, and tender on the outside

Spinal cord injury symptoms depend on the severity of the injury (complete or incomplete), the part of the spinal cord that has been affected (neurological level of your damage), and the part that has been affected by the injury. Common symptoms may include:

• Loss of sensation such as touch, heat, and cold
• Loss of mobility or movement.
• Exaggerated spasms or reflexes.
• Intense stinging or pain due to nerve fiber damage.
• Loss of bladder or bowel control
• Coughing, difficulty in breathing, clearing secretions from your lungs

Severe spinal cord injuries after an auto accident include:

• Extreme back pressure or pain in your back
• Numbness, tingling, or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet, or toes.
• An oddly twisted or positioned back or neck
• Loss of coordination, weakness, and paralysis in any part of your body
• Difficulty with walking and balance
• Loss of bladder and bowel control

Brain injury: Traumatic brain injury (TBI)is one of the most challenging conditions after an auto accident. The symptoms may show immediately or much later after the collision and might be noticeable to you or apparent to others like family and friends. Mild traumatic brain injuries may include:

• Headache
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Memory lapses
• Lack of concentration
• Loss of balance
• Ringing ears (tinnitus)
• Mood changes
• Changes in smell, taste, or vision
• Sleep problems or issues, either lack of sleep or oversleeping
• Anxiety and depression.

Moderate to severe brain injury symptoms may include:

• Continuous and ongoing pain
• Persistent nausea and vomiting
• Extreme confusion
• Seizures
• Pupil dilation
• Coordination challenge
• Slurring speech
• Clear fluid drainage from the nose or ears
• Combative or agitated behavior
• Unusual behavior change
• Consciousness or coma disorder

Auto Injury Treatment

Treatment options may include:

• Medications for pain relief such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Splints & braces for fractures, strains, and sprains.
• Ice and heat therapy to relieve swelling and pain
• Physical Therapy to alleviate pain, restore movement, and improve flexibility and range of motion
• Massage therapy to relax tissues and improve circulation
• Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) relaxes muscle spasms and increases blood circulation.
• Myofascial release to relax contracted muscles
• Chiropractic adjustment to restore your natural vertebral alignment and function, improving range of motion and flexibility.
• Exercise therapy to strengthen muscles and ligaments
• Surgery to repair or remove broken bones, internal injuries, internal bleeding, and repair torn tissues.

If you have suffered an auto injury, contact Axon Health Associates for a customized treatment plan tailored to your unique needs. Contact us today for more information, or schedule an appointment online.