Work-related injuries are commonplace in today’s work environment. There were over 2 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported in 2018. However, regardless of how minor the injuries you sustained, you should always seek medical treatment for any work-related injury, especially since such injuries can affect one’s physical, mental, and emotional health. Some might even affect one’s ability to earn a living for their family. Neurologists are specialized in treating many different conditions caused by injuries.
A neurologist is a medical doctor that treats disorders of the spinal cord, brain, and nerves.
Read on to find are some of the top reported work-related injuries and how a neurologist can help diagnose and treat them.
Falls
No matter what job you do or what setting you do your job in, falls are always a possibility.
Whether you work in an office, store, factory, outdoors, or even underground, some hazards and objects could cause a fall, slip or a trip.
Another risk falls while working off the ground. Falls from ladders are the most common but falls from structures and other objects also occur.
Injuries that occur from falls range from minor to severe. They occur in a variety of body locations as well. Some of the most common injury locations are shoulder, neck, and back injuries. These injuries consist of strains, pulls, and tears of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
Other bodily injuries such as broken hips, limbs, and pelvis also occur. Spinal cord injuries and TBI’s (Traumatic Brain Injuries like a concussion) are examples of severe injuries that can happen with work-related falls.
Muscle Strains
If your job requires you to lift, push, pull, tug, or pretty much any activity, you could suffer a muscle strain. Heavy lifting is one of the biggest culprits for muscle injuries. Muscles in the neck and back are the most frequently injured muscles while working.
Muscle strains are also known as a pull or tear in which the actual muscle gets tears or rips in it. Muscle strains can occur anywhere there is a muscle.
Most common muscle injuries occur in the arms, legs, neck, back, and shoulders.
While pain relievers can remedy minor muscle strains, a more extensive problem may require physical therapy to bring back the range of motion and reduce the pain of the muscle strain on the affected area.
Injury from Repetitive Movement
Also known as RSI or RSS (Repetitive strain injury\syndrome). This injury can occur when the same action is performed over and over, which causes stress and eventually results in an injury. This type of injury can be severe in some cases.
Some of the most common injuries of this type are carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, tendonitis, and rotator cuff injuries.
Most individuals think this type of injury is just part of the job but this is a false assumption. This type of injury can have significant health consequences and affect your ability to work. That said, companies must be proactive in addressing this problem. They should at least modify the workplace or implement a wellness program to help employees who suffer from this.
Injury from a Falling Object
Believe it or not, falling objects cause over 40,000 work-related injuries each year. This commonly occurs in construction jobs, but not always. Warehouses, factories, and even offices are locations where falling object injuries can and do occur.
The objects involved can range from small debris to large equipment. The most common injuries from falling objects are bruising, sprains, strains, and fractures.
More severe injuries can also happen. Spinal and head injuries, broken bones, and severe lacerations are just a few.
In such cases, the employee must receive immediate treatment. One should not dismiss the injury, even if the symptoms did not manifest immediately. Most head injuries do not show as open wounds, but ignoring them could be fatal as the injured person might be bleeding internally. Most head trauma symptoms appear hours, even days, after the injury.
Crashes and Collisions
Automobile accidents happen daily, and a substantial number of them are work-related.
Workers’ comp insurance does not cover most of the time workers who are commuting to and from work. But if your job requires you to drive as part of the job, then you are eligible for workers’ comp if an accident occurs.
Some of the most common minor injuries from an automobile accident are bruises, cuts, and scrapes. Whiplash, head injuries, broken bones, back and knee injuries, and internal bleeding, to name a few.
Workplace Violence
Violence can happen anywhere, any time, even while you are on the job. It is not uncommon to hear about violent crimes occurring in the workplace. Armed robbery, theft, and even violent attacks from disgruntled coworkers are a few examples. This type of violence can cause physical and emotional damage.
Injuries from this type of incident can vary widely. The damages can range from minor to severe. The incident can be a verbal altercation to physical harm.
Traumatic head injuries, lacerations, broken bones, and gunshot wounds are only a few of the possibilities.
In such cases, you can pursue legal action against the parties involved. However, it would be best if you got the guidance of a skilled and experienced lawyer to help you since the legal work and process can be complex. You can check various reputable resources online to learn more about it.
“Can a Neurologist Help Me After an Injury at Work?”
Many people are asking, “Can a Neurologist Help Me After an Injury at Work?”
A short answer is yes.
A neurologist specializes in head, spine, and nerve injuries. They are trained to investigate, diagnose, and treat these disorders.
Many specific neurological conditions can result from work-related injuries as mentioned above.
The neurologist is trained to determine if you are suffering from neurological disorders and can tailor a treatment plan for those injuries.
A neurologist uses many different techniques to determine problems with the head, spine, and nervous system.
Diagnostic tests, like MRI, CT, EMG (electromyography-assess the health of muscles and nerves), and NCV (nerve conduction study-tests the health of the nerves), to name a few.
Once the neurologist has diagnosed the injuries, they will address your specific conditions and implement a treatment plan followed by rehabilitation. This plan is individualized to the person and their injuries.
The plan will consist of treating the root cause of the injuries. While you undergo treatment, they will manage the pain associated with the injuries.
Also, once the root problems are corrected, they will oversee your rehabilitation. Their goals are to treat the condition, manage pain, and get you on the road to recovery.
Depending on the severity of the injuries, total recovery may not be an option. If this is the situation, the neurologist will assist in getting the individual to the maximum level of functioning as possible.
To find an experienced workers’ comp neurologist near you, call (888) 590-4030 today.