The spine is one of the most important yet vulnerable parts of the human body. In addition to shielding your spinal cord and carrying messages from your brain to the rest of your body, your spine is the pillar that holds up many of your bones and bodily systems. Injuries to the spine are often dangerous, resulting in paralysis or nerve damage. However, spinal injuries don’t need to be life-threatening to seriously affect your life.
One circumstance where a relatively small amount of damage can cause a serious amount of pain involves damage to spinal discs. The spine is composed of bones, which provide stability, and discs, sacs between the bones that allow the spine to bend, twist and move. Spinal discs are often compared to a jelly doughnut. They have a flexible outer shell and an inner, gel-like soft filling. When the filling protrudes or leaks out of the disc’s shell, it can press on nerves, limiting motion and causing severe pain.
Causes and effects of disc injuries
Herniated discs, also called slipped discs, ruptured discs, or disc protrusion, can make daily life unbearably painful. Headaches, shooting leg pain and other serious symptoms are commonly reported by patients with disc injuries. Those suffering from these injuries may eventually experience healing over time, often with treatment by a physical therapist. Others require surgical intervention to remove the damaged disc or discs.
While herniated discs sometimes occur due to aging or regular wear and tear, they are often the result of impacts from falls, vehicle accidents, collisions or assaults. When a herniated disc injury is caused by the negligence of a person or company, the victim may be able to recover compensation for their medical bills, their lost wages, and sometimes even for their pain and suffering.
If you have suffered a back or neck injury in a fall or any other type of accident, speak with the experienced Bradenton spinal injury attorneys at the firm of Goldman, Babboni, Fernandez, Murphy & Walsh to learn about your rights and options.