I’ve Been Having Back or Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident. What Can I Do?

If you are experiencing back or shoulder pain after a car accident, it is important to get checked out by a physician right away before it gets worse. Although these are common symptoms, you could be suffering from a severe injury that requires treatment.

Steps to Take if You Have Back or Shoulder Pain From a Car Accident

To ensure a full recovery, both physically and financially, after a collision, there are steps you must take: 

Seek Medical Care

Be seen by a doctor as soon as possible to determine if your back or shoulder pain is a symptom of a serious injury. Not all car accident injuries are visible immediately, as some can take hours, days, or even weeks to appear. The longer you wait to seek medical care, the higher the risk of a potentially minor injury becoming severe and lengthening your recovery time. In addition, some untreated injuries, such as a concussion or internal bleeding, can be life-threatening. 

Keep a Journal

An extremely useful method for documenting your injuries after an accident is to keep a daily journal. Provide detailed information about: 

• Your symptoms
• Your pain level (between 1 and 10)
• Any changes in your condition 
• Whether your daily routine is impacted
• Whether you are able to work
• If you require help to complete tasks
• Any activities you are no longer able to enjoy
• Emotional distress (e.g., stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc.)

It can seem tedious to have to document your thoughts and pain levels. However, if you wind up pursuing a claim against the at-fault driver, your journal can help you link potential injuries to the accident and recover additional compensation. 

Speak to a Car Accident Attorney

Obtaining the compensation you need to recover can be challenging on your own. A St. Louis car accident lawyer can deal with the at-fault party’s insurer for you to ensure you are treated fairly. They can also help you collect the evidence you need to support your claim and prove your shoulder or back pain is related to the crash.

What Causes Back or Shoulder Pain After a Car Accident?

It doesn’t take much to injure your back or shoulder, and even a minor accident can cause serious damage. If you are in pain, it may be due to one of the following common injuries. 

• Whiplash: A whiplash injury can occur due to rapid movement in the neck, typically involving overextension of the muscles. Common symptoms include headaches, stiff muscles, dizziness, numbness, and pain in the neck that radiates down the shoulders and back. 
• Shoulder Injury: Several types of shoulder injuries can lead to pain, such as a torn rotator cuff, shoulder dislocation, or shoulder fractures. Symptoms include shooting pain, loss of motion, burning sensations, and tingling or numbness. 
• Herniated Discs: When the soft, jelly-like center of the disc pushes out of the disc, it’s called a herniated disc, ruptured disc, a slipped disc, or bulging disc. The discs can cause problems when the center pushes against a nerve or the spinal cord, resulting in pain. A slipped disc in the cervical section of the spine can cause pain near the shoulder blade and down the arms. A slipped disc in the lumbar region can cause pain in the back and legs. 

Seeking medical treatment quickly can possibly help you reduce pain, inflammation, and improve flexibility, but surgical intervention will be necessary in some cases.