A Pinched Nerve in a Car Crash

A Pinched Nerve in a Car Crash

The nerves play a critical role in the body, carrying sensory signals from the body back to the brain and transmitting motor signals from the brain back to the body. Some of the sensory signals that nerves can carry include:

• Touch
• Pain
• Pressure
• Temperature

Even though some of these sensations can be uncomfortable, it is still important for these signals to be transmitted because they tell the individual that something is wrong with the body. Sometimes, the signals that these nerves transmit can signal a problem with the nerve itself. Examples of possible issues related to the nerves include:

• Peripheral neuropathy
• Guillan-Barre Syndrome
• A spinal cord injury
• A radiculopathy
• A pinched nerve

Some of the statistics that have been published on nerve injuries by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS) include:

• There are more than 20 million people living in the United States with some form of nerve damage.
• There are more than 100 types of nerve damage that have been identified.
• Around two-thirds of individuals who have diabetes will go on to develop some form of nerve damage.

A pinched nerve is a particularly painful form of neurological damage that can result from a traumatic injury. It is important for everyone to understand how a pinched nerve presents so that they can receive treatment for their symptoms as quickly as possible.

What is a Pinched Nerve?

A pinched nerve is a type of nerve injury that presents with extreme discomfort in a certain area of the body. One of the peripheral nerves (a nerve that exists outside of the brain and the spinal cord) is “pinched” by something. Typically, this is inflammation that results in increased pressure around the nerve. The nerve interprets this signal and transmits a sensation of discomfort back to the body. While nearly any nerve could become pinched, they most commonly occur in the neck or back. Common causes include:

• Trauma, such as an auto accident.
• The sudden onset of swelling and inflammation.
• Repeated motions, such as those seen in sports and typing.
• A herniated disc in the spine.

The nerve is protected by a myelin sheath which becomes compressed against the inside of the nerve when pressure and swelling increase. When this pressure increases, the nerve is no longer able to transmit signals properly to the brain. This leads to the development of symptoms, such as:

• Extreme pain and discomfort
• Shock-like sensations
• Paresthesias, which refer to a “pins and needles” or a tingling sensation
• Numbness

Medical treatment is required to alleviate these symptoms and remove the increased pressure from around the nerve.

Treatment of a Pinched Nerve

The treatment of pinched nerve centers around removing the increased pressure from the vicinity. Therefore, some of the treatments include:

• Over the counter anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, to reduce swelling.
• Steroid injections for more serious cases.
• Bracing and splints may be used to relieve swelling created from repetitive activities.
• In severe cases, surgery will be needed to decompress the area and remove pressure.

Treatment of a pinched nerve must be completed sooner rather than later because, if symptoms persist for an extended period of time, the effects may become permanent.
Ultimately, a pinched nerve is only one of many different forms of nerve damage that someone may develop. While some of these are reversible, many forms of nerve damage are permanent. Therefore, it is important for those who have been injured in a car accident to meet with a personal injury lawyer in Sacramento. The accident should be reviewed because you could be entitled to financial compensation.



Image Attribution: The image seen above was found on Pixabay and is shown here with permission from the CC0 Creative Commons License.
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