Motor Vehicle Accidents are quite frequent in big cities. According to a recent study, more than 5,000 vehicle accidents take place in New York City each week. A portion of these accidents cause serious damage to the individuals involved, and a few can be even fatal.
So what are the other common injuries that occur after a Motor Vehicle Accident?
Neck and Whip-lash Injuries: Neck and whiplash injuries are the most common injuries in motor vehicle accidents. This is due to the fact that the neck is hypermobile and not properly supported while driving. After the injury, you may begin experiencing difficulty turning your neck side to side, headaches, spasms in your neck and neck pain that radiates down your shoulders and into your hands. You may also have some numbness and pains and needles in your finger tips and difficulty holding small objects with your hand. These are signs that you may have a slipped or herniated disc in the neck causing irritation of the nerves in your neck.
Fractures and Joint Pain: if your vehicle hits a heavy object like a wall or another car or truck, you may sustain injuries to your bones and joints. Most joint injuries occur at the shoulder, knee, ankle and hip. This can cause limitation with your range of motion leading to difficulty walking; pain and discomfort at the site of injury.
Low Back Injuries: Low back injuries are also very common after a Motor Vehicle Accident. After the injury, you may complain of low back pain radiating down the legs and spasms. You may also experience numbness, and pins and needles in your legs and feet; and the feeling of you legs ‘giving out’ or ‘falling asleep.’ These are signs that you may have a slipped or herniated disc in the lower portion of your spine causing irritation of the nerves in your back.
For more information, consult Dr. Stanley O Ikezi, an experienced Double Board Certified Pain Management Specialist in New York City.