As Illinois Workers' Compensation attorneys, we represent a lot of workers who develop back injuries on the job. Our clients worked hard in Chicago, Joliet, Wheaton, Waukegan, Rockford, Kankakee, and all across the state of Illinois, some of them for many years, and deserve to receive compensation for their missed work and medical expenses.
One back injury we see frequently is the herniated disc. A herniated disc, also called a slipped disc or ruptured disc can be extremely painful. The actual injury occurs to a disc in the client's spine. The discs are small cushions between each of the vertebrae in the spine. When they are functioning properly, the discs act as small shock-absorbers but with the added feature of flexibility to allow the spine to bend. Discs from any portion of the spine can be damaged, but herniated discs most frequently occur in the lower back. These injuries are often caused by a single injury, such as while bending to pick something up or lift a heavy object. While standing or sitting straight, the pressure is equal across all discs. But when the spine bends, certain discs receive much more of the pressure. Herniated discs, especially when they occur in the lower back, can cause pain all the way down to the feet. These injuries often affect the sciatic nerve, causing sciatica to occur. This can cause pain in the thigh, buttocks, legs and feet. These aren't necessarily the result of a second injury, but occur because of the way a single nerve runs from the spine down to the lower leg.
Symptoms frequently only occur on one side of the body because the nerve runs separately down each leg. As with any injury, diagnosis from a trained physician is imperative. The doctor may decide to conduct x-rays, a CT scan or MRI in order to determine if the pain is being caused by a herniated disc. Narrowed space between the vertebrae will often show the doctor that the cause of the pain is a ruptured disc. Herniated discs can occur as the result of a single injury, or over time as the result of repeated work. It is important to alert a doctor to any pain or discomfort in the back, as even minor pain can become worse over time if not properly attended to. Some studies have shown that even people with no symptoms can have herniated discs when evaluated by a doctor. Since no one can simply look into a spine the way they can see a wound or rash, it is necessary to report pain as soon as it starts. Once diagnosed, physical therapy and possibly surgery can help to alleviate the problem.
If you or someone you know suffers with pain from a herniated disc as the result of a work activity, call one of the experienced attorneys in our office. We will fight to make sure that you get the treatment you deserve, and the time off you need to get your life back to normal.
http://www.webmd.com/back-pain/tc/herniated-disc-topic-overview
