Disc Bulges

Spinal discs are made of an outer ring of cartilaginous fibers surrounding a soft, jelly-like center. Discs sit between vertebrae to provide cushioning and support to the spine. A traumatic accident like a car crash or fall can cause part or all of a disc’s outer ring to flatten and bulge outward into the spinal canal. When a bulging disc rubs or presses against nearby spinal nerves, you may experience symptoms like neck or back pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms. You might also feel numbness, tingling, and weakness that travels down an arm or leg.  

Disc Herniations

Disc herniation occurs when a crack or tear develops in the spinal disc’s outer ring, causing the jelly-like center to leak into the spinal canal. High-impact accidents like car crashes and falls can exert enough force to crack a disc’s tough outer shell. When herniated disc material presses against nearby spinal nerves, you may experience symptoms like neck or back pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms. Disc herniation can also cause numbness, tingling and weakness that travels down an arm or leg. Sciatica is one of the most common symptoms of a herniated disc in the low back. Sciatica is characterized by one-sided pain, weakness, and tingling that starts in the low back and shoots down the buttock, thigh, calf and foot.  

A spinal fracture is a serious injury that commonly occurs as a result of a traumatic accident. Vertebral body fractures can send bone fragments into the spinal canal and pinch or injure the spinal cord and spinal nerves. Fracture injuries are sometimes accompanied by a dislocation injury, when the ligaments supporting the spinal column are overstretched and force the bones out of alignment. Fracture and dislocation injuries may cause spinal instability, nerve compression, neck or back pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and numbness, tingling or weakness that travels down an arm or leg. 

Spinal Stenosis

Spinal stenosis is narrowing of the spaces within the spinal canal. Trauma can cause changes like inflammation, disc herniation, ligament injuries, and displaced bone that narrow open spaces in the spine. Tighter, more restricted passageways place pressure on the spinal nerves passing through the spinal canal. The compressed and irritated nerves can cause neck or back pain and numbness, tingling or weakness that travels down an arm or leg. Spinal stenosis can also lead to walking and balance difficulties.   

Pinched Nerves

A pinched nerve occurs when surrounding tissues like bones, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles apply too much pressure to the nerve. Traumatic accidents are a primary cause of soft tissue inflammation and other injuries that lead to nerve compression. Compression disrupts the nerve’s normal functioning and can cause you to experience symptoms like pain, weakness, numbness or tingling, decreased sensations, and stiffness in the neck or back. Symptoms from a pinched nerve in the spine can also radiate to an arm or leg. 

Spondylolisthesis

Spondylolisthesis is a back injury that occurs when a vertebra slips out of place onto the vertebra below it. A traumatic injury can exert enough force to cause a vertebra to slip out of place. When a displaced vertebra places pressure on nearby spinal nerves, you may experience low back, buttock, and thigh pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, difficulty standing and walking, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels to a leg and foot.   

At the National Spine Institute, we’re here to help you get your life back on track following an injury accident. If you’re experiencing neck or back pain, call 813-819-0290 to schedule a consultation in one of our four Florida clinics: Tampa, Orlando, Ocala, or Boynton Beach.

Learn more about TBI treatments at National Spine Institute here: Traumatic Brain Injury Treatments