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What Is the Most Common Shoulder Injury Caused by a Car Accident?

Suffering from shoulder pain after a car accident? While seat belts are meant to keep us safe, they can contribute to shoulder injuries during an accident. In certain types of accidents, your body may be propelled forward and restrained by the seat belt – which can put your shoulder joint under a lot of pressure.

Even if you don’t immediately realize it, you might feel some soreness or stiffness or even see scrapes and bruises around your shoulder area. It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible so you can get the proper treatment and avoid any long-term effects. Read on to learn about the most common shoulder injury people experience after a car accident, as well as other common shoulder injuries.

Soft Tissue Injuries

If you’re experiencing sharp pain in your shoulder after a car accident, you may have suffered from a soft tissue injury. This type of injury can affect the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that work together to keep your shoulder joint stable and functional. When one of these tissues is strained or torn, it can lead to discomfort, swelling, and soreness. Suddenly, even simple movements can become challenging and painful.

It’s important to treat these injuries properly to ensure a speedy recovery and prevent long-term damage. The first step is to seek medical attention as soon as possible. Your doctor may recommend rest, ice, and physical therapy to help reduce inflammation and promote healing.

Shoulder Dislocation

One of the most painful and debilitating injuries that can result from a car accident is shoulder dislocation. The impact of a collision can cause the shoulder to pop out of its socket, resulting in severe pain and loss of mobility.

It’s essential to seek medical attention immediately after such an injury because leaving a dislocated shoulder untreated can result in further damage to the joint and even nerve damage. Your doctor may attempt to manipulate the shoulder back into the socket, but in extreme cases, surgical intervention may be necessary.

Torn Rotator Cuff

A torn rotator cuff is a common impact injury involving the group of muscles that connect the shoulder blade and upper arm bone. The force of a car accident can cause the rotator cuff to tear, resulting in severe pain and limited mobility. It’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible following a car accident to properly diagnose and treat any injuries, including a torn rotator cuff. Delaying treatment can lead to longer recovery times and even permanent damage.

Fracture

A shoulder fracture might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of car accidents, but the impact can certainly result in a shoulder fracture, along with other fractures or injuries. Shoulder fractures can range from minor to severe, and can affect the shoulder blade, collarbone, or upper arm bone. Quick medical attention is absolutely necessary because a shoulder fracture can cause significant pain, swelling, and a loss of mobility.

Suffering From Shoulder Pain After an Accident? Seek Medical Attention as Soon as Possible

If you’ve been in an accident and feel pain or discomfort in your shoulder, it’s important to seek medical attention immediately. The caring team at Impact Medical Group of Brandon is ready to help you recover! We’ll create a custom treatment plan that relieves pain, improves your mobility, and speeds recovery. Call us today at (813) 522-8885 to schedule your free evaluation.

What Happens to the Brain During a Concussion?

While a concussion is often referred to as a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), there’s nothing minor about it at all. Whether you’ve been in an accident, suffered a sports injury, or otherwise experienced a blow to the head or body that results in a concussion, you need to seek medical attention immediately—even if you think you have no symptoms. Read on to learn what happens to the brain during a concussion, and what you should do if you’ve experienced this serious injury.

What Causes a Concussion?

A concussion occurs when the brain is jolted around inside the skull, causing damage to the delicate tissues. This can be caused by a blow to the head, a fall, or even a sudden change in direction while playing sports. When the brain is jolted, it can bruise or bleed, which can lead to a variety of symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and confusion. Common causes of concussion include sports injuries, car accidents, workplace injuries, and more.

What Does Concussion Do to the Brain?

The brain is a delicate organ and when it experiences sudden rotational movements inside the cranium, it can lead to the loss of consciousness. These rotational movements also create torque, which causes the brain to swirl around and contact various parts of the skull. This contact can result in contusions or bruises that damage two specific sites in the brain—the coup and contrecoup injuries.

A concussion affects the brain well beyond the period of initial impact. It can cause a host of secondary injuries that may not even become apparent until several hours or days after the trauma. That’s why it’s so critical for doctors to keep a vigilant eye on their patients’ condition, particularly in cases where a concussion has occurred.

Secondary tissue damage is often the source of long-term issues such as cognitive deficits, behavioral changes, body damage, and even brain damage. It’s not just about the primary injury, but also about the invisible damage that may be happening on a cellular level.

Early Diagnosis Is Critical for Treating TBIs, Including Concussion

Early diagnosis has a huge impact on the outcomes of a concussion—and that’s where neurodiagnostic testing, CTE, and neurocognitive assessments come into play. With these powerful diagnostic tools, Impact Medical Group of Tampa can quickly and accurately determine if you’re dealing with a concussion or another form of TBI.

Feeling Symptoms of Concussion? Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Your brain is your most valuable asset—it’s critical to protect it at all costs. If you’ve suffered an impact injury and exhibit any of the signs or symptoms of concussion, seek medical attention immediately. The TBI specialists at Impact Medical Group of Sarasota understand how to diagnose and treat concussions and other TBI injuries. We know what it takes to help you heal from your injuries, so you can return to your everyday life. Call us today at (941) 222-1157 to schedule your free evaluation!

4 Reasons to Add Manual to Your Accident Recovery Routine

Car accidents can be overwhelming, even if everyone involved is lucky enough to walk away physically unharmed. The chaos that ensues after an accident can cast a shadow on other physical discomforts that may emerge in its aftermath. Thankfully, manual therapy is an effective remedy that can help alleviate the pains and stresses many people feel in the wake of a collision.

Whether you feel physical discomfort immediately or it takes time to surface, getting a manual after an accident can make all the difference. Read on to learn about the four important reasons to add manual to your accident recovery routine.

1. Manual Can Help With Soft Tissue Injuries

One of the most common auto accident injuries is to the soft tissue of the neck, which can result in whiplash. Luckily, manual therapy is a highly effective method for treating whiplash and other soft tissue injuries.

By increasing circulation and reducing inflammation, manual helps to promote healing and reduce pain. This can be especially helpful for whiplash victims, who often experience stiffness and limited range of motion. But neck injuries aren’t the only concern.

2. Manual Can Help Treat Concussion

If you sustain a concussion from the impact of a car accident, the road to recovery may feel like a long one indeed. Manual therapy may be a helpful treatment to aid in that journey. By targeting the parasympathetic nervous system, manual techniques can strengthen your body’s natural ability to heal itself post-concussion. Not only can this therapy be effective immediately after the accident, but it can also be beneficial in the days and weeks that follow. 

3. Manual Can Treat Soreness and General Pain

The aftermath of every car accident can be unpredictable. Your body might feel sore in unexpected places, even if you don’t remember hitting them. But did you know that manual can help ease that pain? Not only does it increase circulation and improve your lymphatic system’s function, but trigger point therapy can even resolve generalized pain.

4. Manual Can Provide Emotional Healing

Getting into a car accident can be a jarring experience that leaves us feeling shaken and disoriented. Even if we’re lucky enough to escape physically unscathed, the emotional impact of an accident can take its toll. That’s where manual comes in. Not only can it help improve circulation and help us relax, but manual has also been shown to ease anxiety and symptoms of PTSD.

While there’s no guarantee that manual shortly after an accident will prevent the onset of these conditions, taking steps to deal with trauma quickly and promoting emotional stability can only benefit you in the long run.

Heal From a Car Accident, With the Help of Manual Therapy

Ready to experience the healing benefits of manual for yourself? The caring team at Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg is ready to support your full recovery from a car accident. Call us today at (727) 722-8103 to schedule your free consultation!

Different Types of Injections For Car Accident Pain

Car accidents can be a traumatic experience physically and mentally. The worst part is that car accidents can cause pain, which can range from mild to severe. If you’ve been involved in a car accident and are experiencing pain, injections may be a viable option for relief.

Several different types of injections can be used to treat car accident-related pain depending on the injury. Whether it’s neck pain, back pain, or joint pain, injections offer targeted relief without the need for surgery or long-term medication use.

In this article, our accident care team at Impact Medical Sun City Center explores some of the different types of injections available to help alleviate your car accident injury-related discomfort.

Say Goodbye to Suffering: Understanding the Different Injections for Car Accidents

Painkillers can be effective for managing pain after an accident, but they come with their own set of side effects. Injections are a popular alternative treatment option for car accident pain, as they provide targeted relief without causing harm to other parts of the body.

There are several types of injections that doctors may recommend for car accident pain. Let’s look at a few:

Nerve Blocks

One type of injection is nerve blocks, which involve injecting a numbing agent into nerves that transmit pain signals to the brain. This effectively “blocks” the transmission of those signals and provides temporary relief from pain.

 This type of injection can provide significant relief from acute and chronic pain caused by injuries sustained in a car accident.

Facet Joint Injections

Another type of injection that may be recommended for car accident pain is a facet joint injection. Facet joints are located in the spine and help provide stability and movement to the vertebrae. When these joints become inflamed or damaged due to an accident, they can cause significant pain and stiffness. A facet joint injection involves injecting a steroid medication directly into the affected joint to reduce inflammation and alleviate pain.

Facet joint injections are often recommended for individuals who have tried other conservative treatments such as physical therapy or medication with little relief.

Corticosteroid Injections

Corticosteroid injections are another option, which involves injecting steroids directly into inflamed or damaged tissue to reduce swelling and inflammation.

These injections work by reducing inflammation in the affected area, which can help to alleviate pain and promote healing. They are typically administered directly into the joint or muscle that is causing the pain.

While corticosteroid injections can be effective at relieving pain caused by car accident injuries, they do carry some risks and potential side effects. These may include temporary numbness or tingling at the injection site, as well as an increased risk of infection or bleeding at the injection site.

Trigger Point Injections

Trigger point injections work by targeting the knots and tight muscles that cause pain in the body. The injection comprises a small dose of anesthesia or a steroid that is directly injected into these trigger points, providing immediate relief from discomfort.

These injections help relax the muscles and promote blood flow to the affected area, reducing inflammation and soreness.

Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI)

An ESI is a minimally invasive procedure that involves injecting a mixture of local anesthetic and steroid medication directly into the epidural space in the spine. This area surrounds the spinal cord and contains nerves that transmit signals from the body to the brain.

By targeting this area, ESIs can help alleviate pain caused by disc herniation, spinal stenosis, or nerve root compression—all common injuries associated with car accidents.

Patients typically receive ESIs in a series of three injections spaced two weeks apart for maximum effectiveness.

Get Relief from Car Accident Pain

Car accident pain can be overwhelming and debilitating. However, we may have an injection that can help alleviate the discomfort. Our team at Impact Medical Sun City Center is dedicated to helping you heal from your injuries and get back to your normal life as soon as possible.

Don’t suffer in silence any longer, contact us today at (813) 938-5195 to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards pain-free living!