Treatment Options for Traumatic Back Injuries

If you have suffered a back injury in a traumatic accident, making sure you get the treatment you need will be important for your recovery. Ignoring back pain (or other symptoms) can lead to long-term complications in many cases, and it can also create challenges when it comes to asserting your legal rights.

Treatment options for traumatic back injuries vary widely. To find out what type of treatment you need, you will first need to obtain a comprehensive diagnosis from a qualified physician. Once your physician determines the nature and extent of your injury, they will be able to provide appropriate treatment recommendations based on your specific circumstances.

Potential Treatment Options for Back Injuries from Collisions and Other Accidents

One of the most important things to know about the treatment options for back injuries is that everyone’s needs are different. Different types of back injuries require different forms of treatment, and your age, overall health condition and various other factors can come into play as well. With this in mind, some examples of potential treatment options include:

Rest, Cold Packs and Hot Packs

Rest can be an effective (and necessary) form of treatment for sprains, strains and other common types of back injuries. But, as the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) explains, individuals who have suffered back injuries should often, “[a]void bedrest; [and] instead, limit activities or exercise that cause pain.” As the NIAMS also explains, accident victims who are dealing with back pain may also be able to “[u]se cold packs to help relieve some back pain and hot packs to increase blood flow and promote healing in the muscles and tissues of the back.”

Over-the-Counter Medications

Over-the-counter (OTC) medications can be effective for treating back injuries in some cases as well. This includes OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications. With that said, if you have suffered a back injury in an accident, you should see a doctor promptly—and rely on your doctor to determine whether OTC medications are enough or whether another form of treatment may be necessary.  

Prescription Medications

Prescription medications used to treat traumatic back injuries include stronger versions of OTC medications as well as other drugs that are available by prescription only. Along with prescription pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, these include:

• Muscle relaxants
• Neuromodulators
• Numbing injections

Your doctor can determine which prescription medications (if any) are likely to assist with your recovery. If you receive a prescription related to your back injury, you should fill it promptly, follow the instructions for use and contact your doctor immediately if you have concerns about any possible side effects or complications.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can “help strengthen the muscles that support the back, which can improve mobility, posture, and positioning . . . [and] also help decrease pain.” In many cases, doctors will prescribe physical therapy along with other treatment modalities—such as prescription medications or surgery. Given that giving your back adequate time to rest can also be important, accident victims should not begin doing physical therapy exercises unless and until their doctors advise them to do so.

Surgical Procedures

Due to the substantial forces involved in vehicle collisions and other accidents, in many cases, non-invasive forms of treatment will not be enough. For accident victims, recovering from traumatic back injuries may involve undergoing various types of surgical procedures, including (but not limited to):

• Disc replacement
• Discectomy or microdiscectomy
• Foraminotomy
• Laminectomy
• Laser surgery
• Radiofrequency lesioning or spinal cord stimulation  
• Spinal fusion

These are all very different procedures that offer different benefits, come with different risks and present different potential outcomes. If your doctor recommends surgery for your back injury, it will be important to ensure that you understand the specific procedure your doctor has recommended, including the costs of the procedure and what you can expect going forward.

Alternative Treatments

While surgery will be the only practical option in some cases, doctors are also increasingly recommending alternative treatments for accident-related back injuries and other types of physical trauma. As Johns Hopkins Medicine explains, “[a]cupuncture, massage, biofeedback therapy, laser therapy, electrical nerve stimulation and other nonsurgical spine treatments can make a difference” in some cases; and, since “the potential benefits of these strategies far outweigh their potential risks, . . . they are worth exploring.” If you are interested in avoiding surgery, these are options that you may want to discuss with your doctor.

Injury and Pain Management

Of course, while some back injuries are treatable, others are not. When serious accidents result in permanent damage to the spine or spinal cord, treatment generally focuses on injury and pain management. Medications, physical therapy, alternative treatments, and assistive devices are all examples of potential treatment modalities for permanent injuries.

Covering the Costs of Treatment for a Traumatic Back Injury

Regardless of the type of treatment you need for your traumatic back injury, the costs of this treatment could pose a substantial burden—if not significantly exceed what you can afford to pay. With this in mind, if you have been diagnosed with a traumatic back injury after a vehicle collision or another accident, you will want to speak with a personal injury lawyer about your legal rights.

With the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer, accident victims can recover just compensation for their costs in many cases. This includes not only financial costs, but other financial and non-financial costs as well. An experienced lawyer will be able to determine if you have a claim for your accident, and if you do, your lawyer will be able to handle your claim for you while you focus on your recovery.

Questions About Your Legal Rights? Schedule a Free Consultation Today

Do you need to know more about filing a claim to recover the costs of a traumatic back injury? If so, we strongly encourage you to get in touch. To discuss your legal rights with an experienced personal injury lawyer in confidence, call us at 888-777-7098 or request a free consultation online today.