Your back is one of the most vulnerable areas of the body, comprised of delicate discs, nerves, and other body parts. In the event of a car accident, your back is often one of the most readily injured parts of the body, and bulging discs are incredibly common. Bulging discs can cause the accident victim to experience pain and potentially even paralysis. Accident victims with these injuries might continue to suffer long term effects that could prevent them from returning to work and daily living activities.

Bulging v. Herniated Discs

Bulging and herniated discs are commonly lumped together, but they are quite different injuries. A herniated disc is caused by a crack in the disc, usually a crack in the outer layer. This crack, which is localized to a small part of the disc, allows the material within to rupture out of the disc. A bulging disc, on the other hand, occurs when your disc bulges outside of the space it should normally occupy. It will involve a larger portion of the disc than a herniated disc and the injury can be harder to detect. At times, a bulging disc might not even be painful, whereas a herniated disc will usually cause severe pain.

Nerve Damage Within the Spine

Despite being at times less painful than a herniated disc, bulging discs can be more dangerous. This is because the extruding disc can actually press against your spinal cord, evoking the potential for nerve damage and more.

When a bulging disc presses against the spinal cord, its impact will depend upon the area of the spine involved. Symptoms could include:

• Muscle weakness
• Tingling in the arms or legs
• Changes in bladder or bowel function
• Spasms in the legs
• Paralysis from the waist down
• Pain moving your neck
• Pain down your arms and to your fingers
• Deep pain near your shoulder blade

Pain stemming from a bulging disc could worsen overtime or with performance of certain activities. This injury can be diagnosed with an MRI or myelogram, combined with an assessment of your symptoms and your back by a trained doctor.

Treatment for a bulging disc will depend upon the severity of the injury. Some bulging discs can be managed with a wait and see approach, combined with rest, physical therapy and pain medication. Others, especially those impacting the nerves within the spine, can require surgery. Anyone injured in a car accident who experiences a back injury should consult with a licensed attorney as soon as possible. An attorney will examine the facts and circumstances of what happened and take the necessary steps to protect your rights.

Contact Montlick and Associates and Put Our Over 39 Years of Legal Experience to Work For You!

If you have been injured in a car accident, you should be eligible to seek compensation from the driver responsible for the accident. The Car Accident Lawyers at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, assist accident victims in Georgia and in the Southeast. Our firm has over 39 years of experience that we will dedicate to your case and our attorneys provide a wealth of knowledge and compassion to enhance your ability to obtain a full monetary recovery.

The sooner you act after your accident, the greater your chances of reaching the best possible outcome. As such, it is important that you seek the assistance of a licensed lawyer as soon as possible. Call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law, 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Source:
https://www.depuysynthes.com/patients/aabp/understandingconditions/bulgingdisc