Various situations may result in someone suffering a neck injury, e.g., contact sports incidents, car accidents or improper lifting. Sitting or positioning oneself in certain ways for prolonged periods may also result in neck injuries. Diving into shallow water or having something fall on you can cause similar injuries as well.
Whether someone suffers short- or long-term effects associated with their neck injury depends on how its onset occurred and the speed with which they receive treatment after it happens. You may want to familiarize yourself with some of the most common neck injuries that occur in the workplace, as this information may aid you in avoiding getting hurt yourself.
What are some common symptoms associated with neck injuries?
Injuries to someone’s neck can result in headaches, shoulder pain and tingling or numbness in the legs and arms.
Other symptoms may include:
- Whiplash: This injury results from a person’s head violently moving back and forth, resulting in soft tissue damage to the neck. Headaches, dizziness, stiffness and neck pain, including numbness, tingling or weakness that radiates into a person’s limbs are common symptoms.
- Repetitive strain injuries: These often result from someone maintaining poor posture or sitting in awkward positions that aggravate their neck. This type of neck injury may result from using a pillow that doesn’t give you adequate support or engaging in physical activities that cause neck strains or sprains.
- Pinched nerve injuries: A pinched nerve can lead to sharp, shooting pain in your neck and arms.
- Vertebral disc damage: Heavy lifting can cause pain that travels from the neck down to the legs. Anyone who suffers vertebral fractures must seek medical treatment immediately, as spinal cord damage could lead to paralysis or death if left untreated.
Serious neck injuries often lead to chronic pain and loss of function, both of which may make it challenging for someone to engage in their normal activities. You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you experience an onset of your condition on the job.