If you’ve been injured at work or in a car accident, fast treatment is critical. Seeking treatment from a spinal specialist immediately improves the outcome. Learn more about the common types of back injuries and the treatments available when you see a spine specialist.
Many people experience a herniated disc after a car or work-related accident. A herniated disc is diagnosed when the gelatinous material inside of the disc leaks out of the hard outer layer. The fluid can press against nerves, causing pain. You might have a herniated disc if you experience neck, arm, or leg pain. You also might notice numbness or tingling in your arms.
A spine specialist can provide conservative and surgical treatments. Treatments might include physical therapy, medication, or manual traction. If conservative treatment doesn’t work, your spine specialist might recommend a discectomy.
Facet joints play an important role in controlling your body’s movement and supporting your weight. If the joint is struck by force during a car accident or worker’s comp injury, you can experience a great deal of pain. The pain will likely be more severe when you lean forward. The pain tends to radiate with a facet joint injury, and you might notice tenderness at the site of the injury.
Your spine specialist will begin with conservative treatments for joint injury. This can include chiropractic manipulation, medications, and physical therapy. Your spine specialist also might inject Botox into the area. If conservative treatments don’t work, a spinal fusion might be necessary to treat this injury.
Car accidents and worker’s comp injuries often damage the soft tissue. The force of the injury could cause your soft tissue to stretch or tear. Symptoms can include back pain and stiffness, muscle spasms, and difficulty maintaining posture. For example, you might have a hard time standing up straight if you have a soft tissue injury.
Your spine specialist will likely recommend physical therapy to treat this problem. You also might need chiropractic care and medications to treat the injury. Injections and oral anti-inflammatory medications might also be used to reduce swelling and inflammation while alleviating pain. Your spine specialist will devise a treatment plan for you.
If you were in a serious car or workplace accident, you might have a spinal fracture. Fractures cause pain, swelling, numbness, and tingling. Your spine specialist will likely use immobilization to treat the fracture. Immobilization helps the bones heal properly and also reduces the pain. Severe cases do require surgery. Your spine specialist will go over your options with you, and then you will begin treatment.
To learn when you should contact a spine specialist, here are five signs that you need the help of a qualified professional from this branch of medicine.
If you notice any back pain that does not go away within a day or two, you must book an appointment with a spine doctor in New York. By employing different diagnosis practices, imaging tests, and laboratory tests, these doctors can help you determine the root cause of your back pain before it grows out of hand.
Getting professional help for your back pain allows you to address and resolve the issue from its very core. Due to their focus on limiting recovery times, most spine specialists make it a point to administer non-surgical approaches for treatment. But even when surgery is involved, these doctors make sure that you can get back on your feet in no time through various rehabilitative measures.
Neck pain can be highly distracting at its best and excruciating at its worst. If you bear this type of pain for more than a few days, it can affect your day-to-day well-being and transform into a more complicated problem accompanied by nausea or headaches. That is why you must seek a spine doctor in New York to help you with the issue
Through their expertise in the medical field, these doctors can guide you through the process for a swift diagnosis and resolution of the problem. This makes sure that you can get the help you need while trying to battle your way out of perpetual, chronic, or severe neck pain. This approach also helps you through non-surgical and surgical treatments alike.
Most issues that stem from the spine have a deep connection with pain. It is no different when it comes to leg pain that is caused by spine disorders or injuries. Since there are several causes of why you may experience leg pain with your nervous system, a proper checkup can give you the answers you need.
Apart from diagnosing the problem, spine specialists also take specific steps to resolve it. From non-intrusive practices to surgical procedures, they take various approaches to help you retain a pain-free lifestyle. These steps may also involve rehabilitative programs and routines, which allow you to maintain mobility. These programs and procedures depend upon a case-to-case basis, ensuring that you receive personalized care from your spine doctor in New York.
In the starting stages of many disorders and diseases in the spine area, it is common to feel tingling or numbing sensations in your body. These sensations are most often present in your legs or forearms and may also be accompanied by noticeable pain. However, pain is not always present.
There are several ways a spine problem could be causing these symptoms, with the most common cause being a disc issue. But whatever the underlying problem might be, a spine specialist can diagnose it to help you seek proper relief from the issue. The treatment methods vary upon the core issue and sometimes involve multiple approaches at once. This allows your spine doctor to help you recover in an optimal and timely manner.
Apart from chronic or natural conditions, you may also face spine health issues when they are triggered by trauma. Whether you had a slip and fall injury or a road accident, it is important to keep an eye out for sudden pain, tingling, or numbness in your neck, back, or legs.
If you face any of these issues along with fever, nausea, or aversion to bright lights after an accident, you should reach out to a spine specialist immediately. By actively visiting a spine specialist after a severe injury, you can minimize significant complications from arising in the future. This makes sure that you can overcome the problem before it becomes difficult to manage. From minimal treatments to necessary surgery, your doctor can help you stay healthy through various approaches.
If you have been injured in a car accident or at work, don’t wait for the symptoms to go away. Back injuries often get worse if left untreated. That means you could end up immobile if you try to ignore the symptoms. Instead, contact a spine specialist. Your spine specialist will diagnose the injury and provide a treatment plan just for you. Then you will begin the road to recovery.
Work-related injuries are a major concern across the country. According to the National Safety Council, there were an estimated 4.53 million medically consulted workplace injuries in 2022. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that one in five of these injuries affects the back.
Those numbers suggest that anyone injured at work has a one in four chance of sustaining injuries to their spine. So, should you see a worker’s compensation surgeon immediately after your workplace injury? When is the right time to schedule a consultation with a workers compensation spine surgeon in NJ? Read on to find out.
Work-related spine injuries occur for various reasons, including the following:
After a workplace injury, you’ll have to see a doctor for general checks and to confirm the severity of the injury. In minor cases of workplace injury, this is all you’ll need to do, as doctors can prescribe rest or conservative treatments like the use of pain medication.
However, some people may experience delayed symptoms, which may mask the severity of the injury. You should consider seeing a workers compensation spine surgeon if you continue to experience the following.
Are you in severe back or neck pain that has not improved with some rest or the use of pain medications? You should consider visiting a spine surgeon as soon as possible. Persistent pain often points to serious underlying issues that may require surgical intervention to fix.
Are you feeling some weakness in your arm or leg following your workplace injury? Have you noticed some difficulty with lifting objects, grasping items, or standing from a seated position?
You should consider seeing a workers compensation spine surgeon. This is especially true if you notice the weakness worsening with each passing day. It often points to nerve damage that affects muscle function.
Have you been unable to recover the spring in your step after a work injury? You should consider scheduling an appointment with a spine surgeon. This is especially true if you still feel some pain, weakness, or numbness in your legs when you’re trying to walk.
Severe nerve compression can affect your ability to control your legs or maintain balance.
Loss of bowel or bladder control is one symptom of spinal injuries that requires urgent medical attention. It often points to severe nerve damage in the lower spine. Early intervention is crucial because the nerve damage will progressively worsen over time, making recovery more difficult.
If you’ve gone months or weeks using medications and injections and undergoing physical therapy without seeing any relief, it’s time to work with a spine surgeon to explore all the surgical options that can help address the underlying problem.
A spine doctor’s treatment cost depends on the type of disorder, disease, or injury you may have in your spine. Some treatments may require extensive surgery, while others might be treatable with routines such as physical therapy. That is why there is not a set price to finding the best treatment for your specific issue.
With that, the Workers Comp Doctor family guides you through the respective treatment costs and associated procedures after a proper checkup. This ensures that you receive personalized healthcare advice specific to your case and prevents you from being blindsided by unforeseen expenses.
To see how a spine doctor can help in your specific case, don’t hesitate to contact us for an appointment today. We will be here to answer your questions and assist you in finding relief from your spine-related problems.
Have you suffered an injury to your spine following a workplace accident? Are you looking for a workers compensation spine surgeon in New Jersey?
Call Workers’ Comp Doctor today at (888) 590-4030 to schedule a consultation.
Doctors listed in our directory accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available.
Want to learn more about workplace injuries causes and prevention? Explore our blog.
No. A spinal surgeon will only recommend surgery if they are certain that it is the best course of action in your case.
Spine surgery is as risky as any other surgical intervention. There’s always the probability of nerve damage, infection, and other complications. However, modern approaches have lowered the risk significantly.
The time it will take to return to work depends on factors like the type of surgery and your health. Follow your surgeon’s guidance here.