When to Consult a Doctor About Spine and Neck Injuries

by | Apr 6, 2013 | Health Care

If you have recently suffered from spin and neck injuries, it is crucial that you seek out proper treatment to avoid long-term damage. Spinal injuries can be dangerous and even fatal, but with the appropriate treatment, many people are able to make a full recovery. If you have been experiencing back or neck pain and you are not sure why, you should consult a doctor to learn more about spine and neck injuries and what causes the pain to persist. In most cases, you will be told to try rest, over the counter medications, and alternating ice and heat to treat the injury at first. However, if your pain continues, you should consult your doctor. Here are several indications that you should call your doctor right away.

First, call your doctor right away if you start experiencing numbness in your legs, feet, or rectal areas. This could be a sign of a serious spinal injury and you will need to be evaluated immediately. This is not normal for a simple bruise or sprain and indicates a much more serious injury.

Second, call your doctor if the pain is severe and does not ease up with rest. If the pain is keeping you awake at night, you should call your doctor and schedule an appointment to be evaluated. Most minor injuries will be sore, but with adequate rest and anti-inflammatory medication, they should ease off enough that you can sleep at night and move around some during the day even while healing occurs. If the pain keeps you from walking, you probably have a serious spinal injury that will require some form of medical intervention.

Third, if you develop fever, chills, or weight loss combined with severe back pain, go see your doctor. This could be a sign that your body is fighting something more severe than a simple superficial back injury. Seek immediate treatment, particularly if you run a fever over 101 degrees.

If you have back pain or neck pain that persists more than two weeks, you should make an appointment with your door. Most back injuries that are minor will heal quickly and the pain should subside within this amount of time. If you are still experiencing significant pain at this point, you will probably need to have some x-rays done just to rule out any major damage.

Finally, if a car accident or any sort of impact injury caused your back pain, see a doctor right away. If you are experiencing numbness after the impact, do not try to move. Instead, wait for help to arrive or call for emergency assistance from paramedics to transport you safely.

 

JourneyLite offers minimally invasive procedures to repair spine and neck injuries in Blue Ash, OH. If you are interested in what they have to offer, feel free to visit them online!

    

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