You’ve been a safe driver for the past 10 years, you have never committed a traffic violation, and you have no points on your driver’s license. One day, as you are driving on a straight road, knowing it’s one way since you use it every morning to get to work, you step on the gas. All of a sudden, you see a car making a turn right towards you. You slam on the brakes, but it’s not enough – seconds later, you end up in a head-on collision with an inexperienced 18-year-old who missed the one-way road sign. It wasn’t your fault, but the accident happened anyway. This is just one example of thousands of car collisions that take place every day. Some are more severe than others; however, even the ones that happen while you are driving 5 miles per hour may negatively influence your health.
At our Auto Injury Clinic in Hialeah, we see patients with post-auto accident injuries every month. In today’s article, we share several of the most common motor vehicle injuries we treat at our practice.
1. Neck Injuries
Whiplash is probably the most common post-auto collision injury. It’s a very serious condition that can’t be left untreated, yet it’s often hard to detect. Whiplash is caused by a sudden snap of your head backward, forward or sideways. People with whiplash have damaged the muscles and ligaments supporting the neck and upper back because of the unnatural stretching and tearing of the neck tendons and ligaments during the collision. Contrary to what you may think, a strong force isn’t required to get whiplash. Even while driving 5-10 mph, you are at risk. Untreated whiplash may contribute to chronic pain and stiffness of the neck; that’s why if you have recently gotten into a car accident, and there is even a small possibility that you have whiplash, you should immediately visit our Auto Injury Clinic in Hialeah, where we will make sure that there is no inflammation or damage in your soft tissues or spinal cord.
2. Fractured bones
Sometimes the force of a collision may cause broken bones. There are various types of fractures, and it’s important to identify which bones have been affected by the accident before prescribing a treatment plan. Broken bones rarely pose a life-threatening danger; however, some of them may be difficult to heal and it will take a longer period of time to recover. Among the top fractures caused by car accidents are:
- Tibia/Fibula Fractures
- Rib Fractures
- Femur Fracture
- Hip Fracture
- Pelvis Fracture
- Wrist Fracture
- Back Fracture
- Facial/Skull Fracture
- Clavicle Fracture
- Arm Fractures
At our Auto Injury Clinic in Hialeah, we do X-rays to determine if our patients have broken a bone during their car accident so that we can apply the most appropriate treatment to help them get back on their feet as soon as possible.
3. Spine and back injuries
The spine is very sensitive to any sudden force or unusual movements. Spine and back injuries can be extremely painful and dangerous, potentially leading to loss of mobility and permanent disability. The two most common back injuries after a car accident are disc injuries and facet joint injuries. Let’s take a closer look at each of them.
Disc Injuries – these are caused by some kind of damage to a spinal disc; they usually occur in in the lower back area. Among the most common ones are: disc herniation, degenerative spinal disorders, and spinal stenosis. At our Auto Injury Clinic in Hialeah, we always recommend that patients with disc injuries try physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications before anything else. Only if these don’t yield any effect will we refer you to an orthopedist for additional treatment options, including surgery.
Facet joint injuries – these are injuries of the joints in your spine that keep the spinal column from excessive movement in any direction and provide twisting stability of the lower back and neck. Typical symptoms of facet joint issues are muscle spasms, discomfort while leaning back, and low back pain radiating into the buttocks and down the upper leg. As far as treatment goes, what often helps is hot and cold therapy. It’s as simple as applying a hot or cold compress to the painful area for 15 minutes about 2-3 times a day. Additionally, it’s been proven that light exercises may help you ease the pain, too. Nevertheless, always remember to consult your physician before performing any sort of activities so as not to worsen your condition. Last but not least, anti-inflammatory medications are a must to reduce swelling in any facet joint injuries.
I had a car accident in Hialeah, where should I seek medical help?
If you, or anyone you know, have a car accident, you should try to avoid emergency rooms unless you are suffering from life-threatening injuries (bleeding, disorientation, blurred vision etc.). If your injuries are minor, you will be waiting a long time to receive medical help there. Instead, you can visit our Auto Injury Clinic in Hialeah to get immediate help. We value our patients and strive to provide them with the best possible care in Hialeah every day. If you suspect that you are suffering from any common auto accident injury, don’t hesitate to contact our office. Our medical staff will help you recover in no time.
