Though back pain can often be overlooked as a natural experience, untreated back injuries can lead to severe long-term consequences. Back pain usually occurs during sporting activities, work, or physical home projects. It could be a simple slip and fall on the bathroom floor or heavy lifting. It is, therefore, difficult to determine at what level the pains warrant a trip to the ER. Nonetheless, neglecting to seek treatment can lead to chronic pain, misaligned vertebrae, or spinal fractures.
Possible Causes of Severe Back Pain
Back injuries are the root cause of back pain, and the lumbar spine is the most prone to injury. Otherwise common activities that the body is not used to can yield injuries. For instance, yard work or lifting heavy objects may strain the back. Tripping, a minor fall, or extreme spine twisting may cause minor injuries. More severe injuries may occur due to automobile accidents, a bad fall, a knock on the head, or a stab wound.
A Lifelong Impact
Unfortunately, as much as most of these injuries are not planned for, they have lifelong consequences. The extent to which these consequences impact is dependent on factors such as the cause of injury, early diagnosis, age, genetics, or degenerative conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis. Common consequences victims face as a result of back injuries are:
Disability
Studies show that spinal cord injury can lead to limited mobility. This means a patient may not be able to tackle everyday tasks, even when other organs are functioning.
Financial Strain
Many work hours are lost to back injuries due to extensive recovery periods. In some instances, patients have to discontinue active duty completely. This in turn burdens families, communities, and the nation at large.
Severe back injuries may require therapy or corrective surgery. These treatments incur long-term expenses, especially in the absence of insurance. Home care is also often needed for chronic back pain, thus a substantial amount of money may need to be spared for it.
Mental Illness
Extensive chronic pain wears one down. Inability to perform daily activities robs victims of the joys of simple achievements. Understandably, continuous intake of medication is also tiring, even when it relieves pain.
Patients suffering chronic back pain often suffer anxiety and denial, especially when full recovery is not in the near future. If these daily discomforts are not dealt with, depression may develop over time.
Reduced Quality of Life and Relationships
Chronic pain has a slew of long-term physical, psychological, and financial implications. A combination of this with reduced communication, family members’ role strain, and decreased satisfaction in life is a major cause of breakups, separation, and divorce.
Treatment
Common back pain naturally goes away in 1 to 4 weeks. It becomes chronic back pain past the three-month mark and may necessitate a regular visit to a specialist. Urgent and early treatment helps with trauma management. Treatments may be non-surgical, for instance, physical therapy, injection-based therapies, and medicine. Surgical treatment is required for spine stabilization, removing bone fragments, or herniated disks.
Because these treatments are a huge burden financially, personal injury lawyers may help ease the burden through processing claims.