- June 3, 2016
- Personal Injury
For those with a chronic back injury, it can be a scenario that, no matter what you do, the pain flares up and ruins your day. A ruined day is one thing, but a ruined week, month, or a lifetime of back pain is another, which is unfortunately all too common for those that have sustained a serious injury from a car collision, hard fall, or an accident at work. In traumatic accidents, the initial injuries may overshadow any back injury that you sustained. A concussion, broken clavicle, fractured rib, or a laceration may have accompanied the back injury. However, it is common that once the other injuries have faded away, the back pain stays. Back pain can be a debilitating condition that keeps people from enjoying everyday life, decreases their productivity at work, and puts a serious damper on their ability to exercise, which leads to further health declines. If you were not at fault in the accident that lead to your chronic or acute back pain, you may be able to receive compensation for your injury. In the state of North Carolina, you have three years to file a personal injury claim from the date you were injured. It is important to speak with a Charlotte attorney as soon as possible if you plan on seeking compensation that can help pay for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Acute Back Pain Lasts Less Than Three to Six Months
According to Spine Health, acute back pain only lasts three to six months. Those months, however, can be excruciating depending on the level of injury. Acute back pain is caused by damage to the muscle or ligaments within the back, and causes intense, stabbing pain, a dull ache, stiffness, difficulty to stand, and poor range of movement. Recovering from acute back pain as quickly as possible is very important, as acute pain can turn into long lasting chronic pain. Your doctor may prescribe physical therapy, massage, ice, ultrasound, extra rest, or other non-invasive measures to help heal acute back pain.
Chronic Back Pain May Be Neurological
The longer acute back pain lasts, the more likely it will turn into chronic pain, as the neurological pain pathways become stronger over time. There are two variations of chronic back pain. The first is when there is an identifiable source that is causing the pain, such as an injury to the muscle, ligaments, or bone. In many cases, chronic back pain is the result of a herniated disc, dried up disc fluid, or spinal stenosis. All of these conditions put extra pressure and friction on the spinal cord, which is very sensitive. The other type of chronic back pain occurs when there is no identifiable source of pain. Instead of an actual injury, you feel pain only because there is still a neurological pain pathway even after the source of the injury healed. This type of pain is called benign, because the only thing wrong with the back is that it simply feels painful. While it may be a relief to find out that there is nothing physically wrong with your back, dealing with the pain is no easy matter. If you have chronic or acute back pain that requires or once required surgery or other medical procedures, you may be able to be compensated for those costs, as well as for your pain and suffering and any wages that you lost due to the injury. Contact an experienced Charlotte, North Carolina, personal injury attorney for more information about your case.
