Middle & Lower Back Pain from an Auto Accident

Back pain can be a result from overcompensation that occurs due to the lack of mobility in the spine from injuries sustained in an auto accident. When you are jolted around in a car crash, any part of the spine can sustain injury. The smaller joints in your back called facet joints can be pinched together and then moved apart causing back pain. Discs can also be injured in motor vehicle accidents, which may also result in back pain.

Pain in your middle or lower back can be caused by injury or pressure to your bones, spine or nerves. If you’re experiencing pain in your middle or lower back, it’s important to seek an examination as soon as possible. Chiropractic care can treat many issues in your middle or lower back without the need for surgery.

Causes of Middle & Lower Back Pain

When you’ve been in an auto accident, there are several injuries that can occur in your middle and lower back, such as strained muscles, spinal misalignment. When impacted in an auto accident, muscles and ligaments will experience inflammation and become sore for a few days, and up to months. If pain in the middle or lower back persists, the cervical spine may have been injured. While all of these can cause severe pain and are all treatable, the spinal column is the most important thing to get examined after an auto accident. If not treated properly, an injury to the spine can have serious and long-lasting repercussions.

Though a seatbelt restricts the body from moving, your internal body can still move from the impact. Your spine and other bones, as well as your organs, can be moved from their normal positions, causing pain that can last for weeks or develop into chronic pain if left uncorrected. Pain can also result from pinched nerves, such as the sciatic nerve, or a herniated disc that pinches the nerve root.

Other symptoms can include weakness in your hips and legs, numbness in the upper thighs, and even gastrointestinal difficulties. A full examination with a chiropractor should be performed as soon as pain presents itself. A chiropractor can treat many injuries in your shoulders and upper back, including your spine, using non-invasive methods that have proven results.

How We Evaluate Middle & Lower Back Pain

There are two assessments a chiropractor will make when a patient is suffering from middle or lower back pain after an auto accident. The first is a physical assessment, including a close examination of x-rays or MRI scans and a physical examination. The second is a pain assessment. Measuring pain is difficult because it is highly subjective and therefore difficult to communicate. An open conversation between doctor and patient is critical to establish a baseline and quantify levels of pain a patient is experiencing.

During these conversations, a chiropractor will determine if a patient’s pain is intermittent or constant, the type of pain (stabbing, throbbing, burning, etc.), pain triggers, times of day when pain most often occurs, and the level of pain on a scale of 1 to 10. Doctors will also inquire about medical history, medications, and previous treatments.

In this way, a doctor can effectively assess a patient’s condition and determine the best course of treatment to repair injury and relieve pain.

Middle and lower back pain are treatable, and they do not have to slow you down. A chiropractor can help you get back to normal, depending on your condition. Schedule a free consultation today.