Herniated or Bulging Disc After a Car Crash: Signs, Care and Records

What is a herniated or bulging disc?

A herniated disc is when the soft center of a spinal disc pushes out through its tough outer ring. It is also called a bulging, slipped or ruptured disc. See a doctor if you have neck or back pain after a crash. Call 911 in an emergency.

It can happen slowly from wear and tear, or suddenly after an injury. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons, or AANS, says one strain or injury can cause it.

Discs also wear down with age. Nearly half of middle-aged and older people have worn discs and pinched nerves that do not hurt.

A disc that is not pressing on a nerve may cause a mild backache or no pain at all. One that presses on a nerve can cause pain, numbness or weakness where that nerve goes.

A disc injury is not the same as a spinal cord injury, though a disc can press on the cord. Our page on spinal cord injury after a crash covers that.

What are the signs of a disc injury in the neck or back?

Signs include neck or back pain that spreads into an arm or a leg. You may also feel numbness, tingling or weakness.

In the lower back, a disc can press on the nerves that form the sciatic nerve. This can cause pain, burning, tingling and numbness from the buttock down the leg. This is called sciatica.

In the neck, it can cause pain when you move your neck, or deep pain near the shoulder blade. Pain may also spread down the arm to the fingers.

AANS says to call your main doctor right away if low back pain starts after an injury, such as a car crash. Also get care right away for numbness, weakness, tingling, or bladder or bowel problems.

When is a disc injury an emergency?

Get emergency care if you lose control of your bladder or bowels, feel numb around the groin or inner thighs, or your legs get weaker. Call 911 in an emergency.

These can be signs of cauda equina syndrome. It is rare. It affects the bundle of nerve roots at the low end of the spinal cord.

AANS says it is most often caused by a large herniated disc in the low back. It lists car crashes among the injuries that can cause it.

AAOS, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, calls it a surgical emergency.

How is a herniated disc diagnosed?

An MRI is the most common test. A plain X-ray cannot show a herniated disc. A CT scan is another option.

X-rays show bones, but not discs, muscles or nerves. Doctors may still take X-rays to check the bones of the spine.

An MRI shows soft tissue, such as discs and nerves. It can help show which nerves are affected.

Some doctors also order a nerve test called an EMG. It can show which nerve root is involved. AANS says it is not often used.

How is a herniated disc treated, and what does research say about recovery?

Most people get better without surgery. Care often starts with a short rest and pain medicine. Then comes physical therapy.

Pain, numbness or weakness often gets a lot better over weeks to months. AAOS says most people with a low back disc have no symptoms by 3 to 4 months.

Some people need more care, such as steroid shots or surgery. A doctor may suggest surgery if other care does not ease the pain.

MedlinePlus says to contact your provider about any numbness, loss of movement, weakness, or bladder or bowel changes.

These are general findings from medical groups. They cannot predict your own recovery.

Which records show a disc injury in a claim?

Records that show a disc injury include ER and doctor notes, the MRI or CT report, and physical therapy notes. Keep your bills too.

You have a right to copies of your records, bills and test images, with few exceptions. A provider may charge a reasonable fee to copy and mail them, but not to search for them.

If you had neck or back problems before the crash, tell your doctor. Ask for those older records too.

Your own policy may help pay medical bills. Texas’s insurance department says PIP, medical payments or uninsured motorist coverage might pay.

Can I claim pain and suffering for a disc injury in a no-fault state?

It depends on the state and, in some states, on the option you chose on your policy. In some no-fault states, you can sue for pain and suffering only if the injury meets a legal test. These tests are set by state law, not by a diagnosis.

New Jersey: under the limited right to sue option, a claim for pain and suffering needs an injury on a list. One is a permanent injury. The law says that is a body part that has not healed to work normally and will not with more care.

Pennsylvania: under limited tort, you can sue for pain and suffering only for a serious injury, with some exceptions. The law defines it as an injury that results in death, serious impairment of a body function, or permanent serious disfigurement.

New York: to sue for pain and suffering after a crash, you need a serious injury as the law defines it. Two types are a major limit, or a lasting limit, on the use of a body part or function.

Some states also limit which care PIP pays for. In Massachusetts, PIP pays for medical costs from care within two years of the crash. In Maryland, PIP, if you did not waive it, pays for costs from care within three years.

What if I want to talk with a law firm about a disc injury?

You can get care, keep your records and deal with insurers on your own. The steps above show where to start.

Some people also want to ask a law firm about a disc injury from a crash. People’s Justice is not a law firm. We do not review your crash or recommend a lawyer. If you want, you can use the form on this page to ask to be connected with a law firm that pays us to advertise.