You'll Often Need Spinal Surgery After A Car Accident
Posted on: 2 November 2018
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One of the most common causes of a spinal injury is a car accident. A spinal surgery may not be what you want after you have suffered a car accident, but in some cases, the surgery might be the only way to treat your spine injury. Orthopedists will typically use conservative methods if they can, such as the use of pain medications, but there are cases where more conservative treatments are not enough.
Understanding Spinal Cord Injuries
The spinal cord is responsible for coordinating movement throughout your entire body. When you suffer a spinal cord injury, you may find this event to be very debilitating. The spine is able to withstand a surprising amount of strain, but a car accident is often enough to warrant surgery.
How Car Accidents Cause Spinal Injuries
When you have suffered a car accident, there are many events that might occur that can cause injuries to your spine. Roll-overs can lead to your spine becoming injured if a weak roof ends up collapsing. If a seatbelt fails or if you were not wearing a seatbelt, you might be thrown from your car and suffer a spinal injury.
What to Expect
Many spinal surgeries are minimally invasive and are performed as part of an outpatient procedure. In some cases, such as spinal nerve compression, laser surgery might be the solution. In other cases, you must undergo a more invasive procedure that will require that you spend time in a rehabilitation facility.
If your doctor recommends surgery as your car accident spinal treatment, you should strongly consider it. Injuries not only prevent you from living your day-to-day life, but can also reduce your life expectancy.
Recovering From Surgery
Depending on the severity of the spinal injury and the type of surgery you must undergo, you may need to spend a lot of time recovering at home. Be careful when climbing up and down stairs. If your bed is upstairs, you should consider sleeping downstairs for awhile. Make sure that your pantry is fully stocked so you don't have to go out. If possible, prepare meals before the surgery so you do not have to prepare meals right after you have undergone surgery.
Make sure that your home has enough space for any equipment that you need for your recovery process, such as oxygen tanks. Be careful when moving around because many patients feel dizzy after a surgery, and falls can exacerbate your injuries.