A spinal cord injury (SCI) can have devastating consequences, whether it results from a vehicle accident, a fall, or a workplace mishap. The immediate aftermath of an SCI is focused on emergency care, surgical intervention, and physical stabilization. However, as the initial shock wears off and physical wounds start to heal, many survivors face a new, invisible challenge: chronic pain syndromes.
Unlike acute pain, which is a temporary warning signal, chronic pain can persist for years, fundamentally changing the victim’s quality of life. For most victims, chronic pain is a psychologically and emotionally tumultuous experience that is not merely a matter of waiting for a wound to heal. Instead, chronic pain is a shift in how the nervous system processes pain signals. When the spine is damaged, the balance of the central nervous system is disrupted.
How Do Spinal Injuries Develop Into Chronic Pain?
The human spine is a complex structure composed of vertebrae, discs, and, most importantly, the spinal cord. The spinal cord serves as the primary communication network between the brain and the rest of the body. A traumatic spinal injury, such as a disc herniation, compresses nerves and causes immediate damage, leading to neuropathic pain—a condition marked by burning, shooting, or tingling sensations.
Unlike the pain from a cut or a bruise, neuropathic pain is caused by malfunctioning nerves. Damaged nerves may begin to fire spontaneously or send exaggerated signals to the brain, leading to sensations of burning, electrical shocks, or stabbing pain that never truly dissipates. Beyond the direct damage to nerve fibers, the body’s inflammatory response plays a significant role in the development of chronic pain syndromes.
Following a spinal injury, the body releases a cascade of chemicals intended to facilitate healing. However, when the spinal column is inflamed for an extended period, it irritates the surrounding nerves. Persistent irritation can lead to swelling and pressure that prevent the nerves from recovering. Over time, constant stimulation can lead to peripheral sensitization, in which the pain threshold is lowered, making even the slightest movement feel agonizing.
What Is Central Sensitization After a Spinal Injury?
Equally harmful as peripheral sensitization is central sensitization, which occurs when the central nervous system is stuck in a state of heightened reactivity. Imagine a home security system that becomes damaged and, instead of sounding an alarm when someone breaks in, is triggered by the slightest breeze. In the context of spinal injuries, the brain and spinal cord become rewired to prioritize pain signals.
Even after the original tissue damage has healed, the nervous system continues to perceive and amplify pain. Central sensitization takes a localized spinal injury and transforms it into widespread chronic pain syndromes like fibromyalgia. The pain can migrate or expand beyond the initial injury site. A patient who suffered a lower back injury might develop pain in their legs, hips, or even upper extremities.
Chronic pain is challenging to treat because the source of the pain isn’t a single physical defect, but a malfunctioning neurological process. Unfortunately, chronic pain is difficult for insurance providers to grasp because they look for clear physical proof. Pain isn’t visible on scans like X-rays and MRIs, so insurers often try to ignore the profound changes that the victim has gone through due to neurological changes.
How Can a Lawyer Help You Prove Chronic Pain After a Spinal Injury?
Proving the existence of chronic pain is one of the most complex parts of a personal injury case. Pain is subjective and cannot be identified with traditional diagnostic imaging, so defense attorneys and insurance adjusters will try to downplay the victim’s suffering. Victims may face irrational arguments stating that because the bones are healed and herniations are stable, they cannot possibly be in pain.
These illogical attempts at discrediting a victim’s claim require a sophisticated legal strategy. Personal Injury Attorneys utilize expert testimony from neurologists, pain management specialists, and functional capacity evaluators to provide objective assessments of the victim. Successful claims must demonstrate the claimant’s lived experience and the scientific reality of how the spine influences the nervous system.
At HHJ Trial Attorneys, our goal for any chronic pain case is to show how the spinal trauma initiated the permanent change in how pain is processed. We document the need for ongoing treatments such as nerve blocks, physical therapy, and specialized medications to build a complete picture of the injury’s effect on the victim. Chronic pain patients deserve settlements that cover their immediate medical bills and a lifetime of chronic pain management.
How Do You Get Compensation for Chronic Pain After a Spinal Injury?
Living with a chronic pain syndrome following a spinal injury is an exhausting, daily battle that affects every facet of a person’s existence. From their ability to work to their relationships with loved ones, chronic pain patients must adjust to a new way of living. If you are living with chronic pain after a spinal injury, remember that you do not have to carry the burden alone. The team at HHJ Trial Attorneys will help you secure the compensation you deserve.
