Not all back injuries are life-threatening, but they should always be taken seriously. Depending on the severity and location of the injury, something as simple as a fall could mean chronic back pain, or even lifelong debilitation. While there are a number of effective treatments available for various back and spinal injuries, not all conditions are treatable, and recovery is very often dependent on the quality and consistency of care. Therefore, it’s important to know the difference between back injuries and spinal injury symptoms, and their differences in treatment.

Spinal Injury

A spinal injury is different from a back injury in terms of the trauma being localized to the spinal cord in a spinal injury. Perhaps one of the most famous examples of a spinal cord injury is the one that Christopher Reeve suffered during an equestrian competition. Although many spinal injuries result in paralysis, not all will. Spinal injury symptoms are characterized by loss of movement and sensation, or experiencing strange sensations that are akin to stinging and tingling. In an emergency, or directly following trauma, spinal injury symptoms might include a twisted back or neck, difficulty breathing, weakness, paralysis, incoordination, or experiencing extreme pain and pressure along the spinal column.

The World Health Organization just released the International Perspectives on Spinal Cord Injuries report, revealing that there are more than 500,000 people each year who suffer a spinal cord injury. It is important to know that receiving immediate stabilization and spinal injury treatment can reduce the chances that an injured person will be paralyzed. Treatments include in some cases surgery, but also chiropractic care, pain management, and physical rehabilitation.

Back Injury

About 80% of the population is expected to suffer, at one point or another, from back pain. While this statistic may seem to put the odds against you, proper posture, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking steps to reduce the risk of injury can protect you from chronic pain. Back pain may be resultant of underlying conditions, such as a herniated disc, or spinal stenosis, but it can also come from an injury that creates low back strain, or from lifestyle choices that put extra pressure on the muscles, bones, and joints in the back.

Symptoms vary, but differ from spinal injury symptoms mainly in their severity. Back injury symptoms include difficulty moving, aching, shooting pain, and might even include experiencing a headache. One effective treatment for back pain is chiropractic care, and spinal adjustments. However, acupuncture, physical rehabilitation, and rest are also popular options in the treatment of back pain.

Knowing which symptoms indicate a back injury or a spinal injury is important to getting an individual the prompt medical attention that they need. With proper diagnosis and care, it may be possible to overcome chronic pain associated with back injuries, and it may also be possible for those with spinal injuries to make significant quality of life improvements and recoveries. Check out this site for more.