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Injuries and Pain
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Trauma: Disc Herniations
The discs that act as shock absorbers between the vertebral bodies of the cervical spine can be damaged during an accident. When this happens, the material in the center of the disc can be pushed out from where it normally is, a process called disc herniation. A herniated disc can put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves to the arms and legs. In situations when a disc ruptures very quickly, as in the case of an accident, then the nerve does not have any time to adjust to the increased pressure and it may stop working.
Symptoms
As a result of this pressure, the patient may feel numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, and their muscles may be weak. Sometimes the nerves may stop working all together, which can cause paralysis below the level of the injury. A patient with a traumatic cervical disc herniation may need to have surgery, but sometimes the symptoms of numbness, tingling, and weakness will resolve on their own. In general, if the patient's symptoms have already started to improve by the time that they get to the hospital, and the numbness or weakness is getting better, then doctors may wait and see if the pressure on the nerves goes away completely. If their symptoms stay the same, or especially if they are getting worse, then doctors will usually operate right away in order to relive the pressure on the nerves.
Diagnosis
Anytime someone has had an accident and they develop numbness, tingling, or weakness in their arms or legs, they need to be seen by a doctor in an emergency room. It is always best to call for a paramedic or emergency response team in this situation, since they have special training in taking care of people who may have a neck injury. |
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