The abrupt deceleration, violent impact, and forceful shift in direction that happens in most car accidents can cause a broad range of injuries, some of which aren’t immediately apparent. Spinal cord trauma is a common consequence of auto accidents, and that typically means trauma to the nerves that are rooted in your spine. The accident specialists at East Coast Injury Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, have the expertise and experience to diagnose and treat nerve-related problems following any trauma accurately. They serve patients living in the southside of Jacksonville Florida.

Pinched Nerve

What is a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve is the term used to describe a nerve root that has been compressed, constricted, impinged, stretched, lacerated or otherwise damaged by surrounding tissues. A nerve may be pinched by bones, cartilage, muscles, tendons, or spinal discs. Common signs and symptoms of a pinched nerve include:

• Tingling, or a pins and needles sensation
  Numbness or reduced sensation along the nerve’s pathway
  Sharp pain that radiates outward from the affected nerve
  Constant feeling that a foot or hand is ‘asleep’
• Muscle weakness around the affected nerve

Although a pinched nerve is often associated with neck or lower back pain, nerves in any part of your body, including your wrist, elbow, or ankle, can become compressed or sustain an injury in a car crash.

What common accident injuries can affect nerves?

Any accident that causes trauma to your spine can lead to nerve compression, sustained either through jarring or a direct blow. Some of the most common car accident injuries that may result in nerve injury include:

Whiplash: This painful injury occurs when your head is forcefully thrown back and forth, causing the quick and uncontrollable movement of your neck. It often causes trauma to the discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerves in your neck. Tenderness or pain that radiates through your shoulders, upper back, and arms, or a tingling sensation or numbness in your arms are signs that a whiplash injury has compressed a nerve.

Bulging disc: An injury that pushes, pulls, or jars your spine out of alignment can cause one or more of your spinal discs to extend outside of its usual space in the spinal canal, and put pressure on nearby nerves. When a bulging disc impinges on a nerve, it can cause pain at the site and throughout your body.

Herniated disc: A violent blow or other direct trauma that herniates, or ruptures, a spinal disc, causing it to leak its gel-like fluid and irritate nearby nerves. A herniated disc in your lower back typically results in lower back pain that radiates down into one of your legs. You may also experience numbness and tingling in your leg.

How are pinched nerves treated?

Treatment for a pinched nerve depends on the location and extent of the nerve damage, which is determined through a nerve conduction study, a diagnostic test that measures electrical nerve impulses through electrodes placed on your skin.

Care typically includes rest, which means avoiding any activities that aggravate the compressed nerve or cause further compression. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen can be used to help minimize pain, while physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic adjustment can be useful for relieving nerve pressure. Surgery is usually the last resort for pinched nerves that don’t improve with conservative treatment.