Your aching back--not to be taken lightly.
Back injuries are very common among workers, whether or not they are in a physically demanding job. There are many causes of back injuries, and they range from sudden, single events to long-term degeneration. Regardless of the way it developed, if your work activity caused your back injury or if it worsened a pre-existing condition, Illinois workers’ compensation benefits should be available to you.
Back and spinal issues can come from obvious activities like heavy lifting, car accidents, or other traumatic events. They can also come from degenerative conditions which are affected by injuries, aging, and other health issues. Regardless, a back or spinal injury can leave you in a lot of pain, and unable to do your job.
One of the common spinal injuries is a herniated disc. This happens when the hardened outside layer of the disc tears, and the soft inside pushes out. If this happens to you, you’ll likely notice pain, weakness, and numbness in places such as your lower back, legs, and feet. The pain may feel like shooting pain down your leg.
If you notice these symptoms, or you have an injury to your back and the pain isn’t going away after a few days, then it’s time to see a doctor that is very experienced in diagnosing and treating back injuries. You don’t want to just dismiss it as something that will pass. A medical doctor such as a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon would be best. They are better equipped than a chiropractor to diagnose and treat your injury. Their opinions are also generally given more weight by the Workers’ Compensation Commission.
When you see your doctor for your injury or pain, you will likely be asked many questions about your medical history and the recent events that caused your injury. Giving your doctor a complete and accurate picture of what happened, and doing it as close in time to your first symptoms as possible, can help your odds in treating your injury, and can also help you to prove that your injury was caused by or aggravated by your work activities.
Treatment for back and spinal injuries often begins with pain medications and physical therapy. The two can work well together. Physical therapy helps to strengthen your back over time to be able to hopefully return to full strength and full function. Pain medications can help you tolerate the process of healing and strengthening.
If that treatment doesn’t work, surgery may be necessary. There are different kinds of surgeries that can be recommended, depending on your specific injury. Some surgeries are more invasive than others.
Back injuries can be very painful, and very debilitating. You don’t want take an injury like this lightly, and put off seeing a doctor. That can only lead to complications in treatment, and possibly in proving your case for workers’ compensation benefits. You should be able to recover your medical bills and lost time from work, if your injury was related to your job. If you have any questions about a back injury, please contact us. Our attorneys are very experienced in workers’ compensation benefits for these injuries.
We are workers' compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.
