Your Neck Pain Could Be Evidence of a Traumatic Brain Injury

Neck pain is one of the most commonly reported symptoms experienced by car accident victims and could be the result of everything from damage to the nerves and tendons to trauma to the muscles in the neck. For instance, physical damage to the nerves caused by the sudden movement of the neck forwards and backwards, or side to side, can lead to inflammation and tension. Neck pain is not, however, only indicative of an injury to the neck, but could be evidence of a more serious trauma to the brain.

Neck Pain is Associated With Some TBIs 

The neck is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body amongst car accident victims. Many people, however, are unaware that neck pain is also a symptom of some types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This is why it’s so important for accident victims to seek medical attention after a crash if they suffered any sort of trauma to the head. This is true even if they aren’t experiencing one of the symptoms that is typically associated with traumatic brain injuries, like headaches, nausea, vomiting, or confusion, but do report:

• Stiffness in the neck;
• Pain when moving the neck up and down or side to side;
• Tension in the neck;
• A sharp and persistent pain in the neck area; and
• Weakness in the neck.

While it’s true that these kinds of symptoms could indicate a neck injury, they could also be evidence of an injury caused by head trauma.

The Importance of Seeking Medical Attention 

Many accident victims chalk their neck pain up to a minor strain or whiplash and assume that they will heal with a bit of rest. Although this could end up being true in some cases, it’s dangerous to rely on such assumptions, as there is a lot of overlap between the symptoms of some neck injuries and the symptoms of a TBI. To ensure a proper diagnosis, car accident victims who experience any sort of neck pain should be sure to seek medical attention right away. A medical professional will not only be able to make an official record of the victim’s symptoms, but can start the process of diagnosis by conducting a physical examination and ordering a series of scans that could reveal not necessarily a neck injury, but trauma to the head. Once diagnosed correctly, an accident victim can begin receiving treatment for his or her TBI, which will vary significantly from that prescribed for a neck injury alone.

The Right Size Law Firm to Meet Your Needs 

With our three experienced attorneys and large support staff, Anderson & Anderson is what you might call a big small law firm, as we have the resources and support of a large firm, but provide our clients with the personalized attention that they deserve. To learn more about how we can help with your own financial recovery following a Florida accident, please call 813-251-0072 and set up a meeting with a member of our compassionate Tampa brain injury legal team today.

Source:

medlineplus.gov/concussion.html