Have you been diagnosed with a bulging disc after a car accident? Maybe you are having back or neck pain after an auto accident and you wonder if it is a bulging disc. Either way, County Line Chiropractic Medical & Rehab Centers have the information you are looking for about a bulging disc after a car accident.
What Is a Disc?
We are not talking about a compact disc. Also referred to as a spinal disc, a disc is a cushion-like substance made of cartilage which separates the vertebrae in a person’s spine. Discs act like shock absorbers and help keep the spine stable and flexible.
What Is a Bulging Disc?
A bulging disc is when trauma from a car accident causes a disc to bulge or rupture, which can cause pain itself or put pressure on surrounding nerve roots. You can have a bulging disc in your neck or back.
Bulging Disc Symptoms
The symptoms of a bulging disc will vary depending on its location. Bulging disc symptoms after a car accident may include:
- Whiplash, inflammation, immobility, and restricted range of motion in the neck
- Back or neck pain
- Pain that radiates from your lower back to your buttocks, hips, legs, and feet or from your neck to your shoulders, chest, or arms.
- Weakness or numbness in arms and fingers
- Restricted range of motion
Diagnosing a Bulging Disc
While a doctor may diagnose a bulging disc based on symptoms alone, imaging such as an MRI or CT scan is usually necessary to confirm it. An X-ray will only show fractured vertebrae; X-rays cannot show bulging discs.
Bulging Disc Treatment
Treatment for a bulging disc varies on the location and severity of the problem. Potential bulging disc treatments may include:
- Spinal manipulation
- Physical therapy
- Surgery
Chiropractic Care for a Bulging Disc After a Car Accident
If you have a bulging disc after an automobile accident, your treatment plan could include any combination of the following therapies offered by County Line Chiropractic:
- Chiropractic adjustments help move your vertebrae – and the discs in between – back into place.
- Massage therapy can increase the effectiveness of a chiropractic adjustment and prolong its effects.
- Physical therapy helps you adjust to and recover from changes in your body caused by the car accident by showing you activities and exercises based on your stage of recovery.
- Ultrasound can increase blood flow, reduce inflammation, decrease swelling, and improve your range of motion after an injury.
- Electrical muscle stimulation can help relieve pain, reduce muscle spasms, and decrease inflammation.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care offers a range of benefits for people recovering from a bulging disc, including:
- Pain may be relieved in a few visits
- Treats the root cause of a bulging disc rather than simply masking the pain
- Pain relief without the side effects of medication
- Holistic and non-invasive
- No referral needed
- More affordable than some other treatments, especially for those without insurance
- May help you avoid surgery
South Florida Chiropractor for a Bulging Disc After an Auto Accident
If you live in South Florida and are experiencing pain after a car accident, schedule an appointment or walk into one of the 6 County Line Chiropractic Medical and Rehab Centers. Our trusted chiropractors will diagnose your pain – whether it is a bulging disc or something else – and create a customized treatment plan.
If you do not have a vehicle after your accident, we also provide transportation services for our patients.
