Neurological Issues Arising from a Car Accident

Even minor car accidents can cause serious injuries including neurological issues.

Neurological issues can have serious and even debilitating effects on the victim. There is a wide range of such issues that can arise from a car accident. Our St. Louis auto accident attorney will discuss the various ways in which car accidents can cause neurological damage and what victims can do about it.

How does neurological damage occur?

There are three main ways in which nerves can get seriously damaged. These include pressure stretching or even severing of the nerve. Various ways in which a car accident can cause neurological damage are:

• Lacerations: a laceration or a deep cut anywhere in the body can cause nerve damage in the area
• Whiplash: Severe jerking motion of the head in case of a rear-end crash can cause the nerves in the area to stretch or get pinched
• Blunt force trauma: If you hit your head, arm or leg on a hard surface outside or inside the vehicle, it can cause nerve damage

Symptoms of neurological issues

Some of the most common symptoms of nerve damage from a car accident include:

• Muscle pain and weakness
• Partial or complete paralysis of limbs or appendages
• Twitching or Uncontrolled movements of muscles
• Tingling or numbness
• Increased sensitivity to hot and cold temperature
• Prickling sensation

The person who suffers nerve damage from a car accident may require medication, surgery, or physical therapy. Treatment would depend on the severity and type of nerve damage.

Common neurological conditions from car accidents

There are two neurological conditions that are most frequently reported after a car accident. These include:

Neuropathy

When a physical trauma partially or completely severs, compresses, crushes, and overstretches the nerves, it can cause neuropathy. If you suffer a fracture, it can put damaging pressure on the nerves. Even a slipped disc can compress the nerve fibers. Neuropathy is not a problem with the central nervous system, but with the peripheral nerves.

Radiculopathy

Compression or irritation of a nerve that exits the spinal column can cause radiculopathy. It is not a condition in itself, but a term used to define the problem created when one or more nerves do not function as they are supposed to. The patient may experience symptoms such as tingling, numbness, weakness, and pain along the affected nerve. Acute trauma from a car accident can cause radiculopathy, and the damage can happen to the muscle, ligaments, discs, and nerves traveling throughout the spine right from the neck to the lower back.