Back pain after a car accident in Michigan
Back pain is one of the most common injuries after a crash, and it often starts a day or two later. NovaMed in Southfield examines your back the same day when we can, finds what is causing the pain and sets up a plan to treat it.
- Lower and upper back pain
- Muscle spasms and stiffness
- Pain that runs down a leg
- Phones answered Mon-Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM. After hours the line goes to voicemail. Walk-ins from 9 AM.
Call to schedule your car accident injury evaluation
Hurt in a car accident? Our team sets up your visit and checks your auto coverage on the phone. Same-day visits are often available during office hours.
- Same-day visits often available
- No referral needed
- Phones answered Mon-Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM. Walk-ins welcome at 27211 Lahser Rd, Suite 200, Southfield
Tap to call from your phone. Phones are answered Mon-Fri, 9 AM to 5 PM. After hours the line goes to voicemail. If you are badly hurt, call 911.
- Same daySame-day car accident visits are often available, and walk-ins are welcome.
- No-FaultMichigan No-Fault (PIP) accepted. We handle the paperwork with your auto insurer.
- RecordsExam findings and reports sent to your insurer or attorney with your permission.
- Southfield27211 Lahser Rd, Suite 200. Serving Detroit and all of Metro Detroit.
How a car accident injures your back
In a crash your body keeps moving after the car stops. Your seat belt holds your hips and chest, and your spine takes the jolt in between. That sudden force can strain muscles, sprain ligaments and put pressure on the discs between your vertebrae.
Rear-end collisions are a common cause of lower back pain. Your seat pushes you forward, then your body snaps back, and the lower back flexes and twists in a fraction of a second. Side impacts twist the spine too, and front-end crashes can compress it.
Back injuries we see after car accidents include:
- Lumbar strain and sprain: stretched or torn muscles and ligaments in the lower back
- Thoracic (mid back) strain from the shoulder belt
- Disc injuries, including bulging or herniated discs
- Pinched nerves and sciatica, felt as pain, tingling or numbness down a leg
- Facet joint irritation, which can make bending backward or twisting hurt
- Fractures, which need emergency care
Why back pain can start days after the crash
Many people walk away from a crash feeling fine. Adrenaline blocks pain, and swelling around injured muscles and joints builds over the next 24 to 72 hours. That is why back pain, stiffness and spasms often show up the next morning or a few days later.
Waiting it out is risky. Pain that is not examined can be harder to treat, and a disc or nerve problem can get worse. It also leaves no medical record that ties the pain to the accident. If your back started hurting after a crash, even weeks later, get it checked.
How we evaluate and treat back pain after a crash
Your first visit starts with how the crash happened and where it hurts. A clinician examines your back and checks your range of motion, strength, reflexes and the nerves that run to your legs. When it is medically necessary, we order imaging such as X-ray or MRI through our referral partners.
Your treatment plan is based on that evaluation. It can include pain management, physical therapy, follow-up exams to track your progress, and referrals to orthopedic or spine specialists when you need them. We measure how you move at each visit and adjust the plan as you improve.
Every finding goes into your medical record, including how your injuries relate to the accident. With your permission, we send records to your auto insurer or your attorney.
Paying for back pain treatment in Michigan
Under Michigan No-Fault, medical care for car accident injuries is generally billed to the Personal Injury Protection (PIP) part of your own auto insurance, up to your policy’s limits. This applies no matter who caused the crash.
We verify your coverage before your visit and handle the paperwork with your auto insurer. Bring your auto insurance card and the claim number if you have one. Read more about seeing a No-Fault doctor in Michigan.
What happens at your first car accident injury visit
One visit gets you examined, diagnosed and on a plan, with everything written down.
What to bring
- Photo ID
- Your auto insurance card or claim number
- The police or crash report number, if you have it
- Your health insurance card
- A list of medications you take
- 01Call or walk in
Same-day visit
Call or walk in. Bring your ID, your auto insurance card and the crash report number if you have it.
- 02Exam
A full evaluation
A clinician asks how the crash happened, examines the areas that hurt and checks movement, strength, reflexes and pain levels.
- 03Records
Findings written down
Your diagnosis, exam findings and treatment plan go into your medical record, including how your injuries relate to the accident.
- 04Plan
Care that fits the injury
Follow-up visits, pain management, physical therapy or a specialist referral, and imaging such as MRI through referral partners when it is medically necessary.
Back pain symptoms after a car accident
Adrenaline hides pain. These often show up hours or days after a crash. Any of them is a reason to get checked.
- 0-24 HStiffness or soreness in your lower or mid back
- 24-72 HMuscle spasms, or pain when you bend or lift
- 24-72 HPain that gets worse when you sit or stand for a while
- DAYSPain, tingling or numbness running into a buttock or leg
- DAYSPain where the seat belt crossed your chest or hips
- DAYSTrouble sleeping because of back pain
- WEEKSBack pain that is not getting better, or keeps coming back
- WEEKSWeakness in a leg or foot
Loss of bladder or bowel control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, sudden weakness in a leg or arm, a severe headache, confusion or vomiting can be serious. Call 911 or go to an emergency room.
Common questions
Is it normal to have back pain days after a car accident?
Yes. Back pain often starts 24 to 72 hours after a crash, once adrenaline wears off and swelling builds. Delayed pain still needs an exam.
How long does back pain last after a car accident?
It depends on the injury. Many muscle and ligament strains improve over several weeks with treatment. Disc and nerve injuries can take longer. We reassess at every visit.
Why does my leg hurt after a car accident?
Pain, tingling or numbness that runs down a leg can come from a pinched nerve in the lower back, often called sciatica. It should be examined.
Can I come in if the accident was weeks ago?
Yes. Back pain that lingers or starts late is common. Call or walk in and we will evaluate it.
Do I need a referral or a lawyer to be seen?
No. You can call or walk in. No referral is needed.
Is back pain treatment covered in Michigan?
Medically necessary care for crash injuries is generally billed to your PIP benefits, up to your policy’s limits. We verify your coverage first.
Care for every part of a crash injury
Car accident whiplash and neck injuries
The most common car accident injury. We check how your neck moves and treat the strain before it settles in.
Learn moreCar accident medical exams
A head-to-toe evaluation of the areas that hurt, done the same day, with findings recorded.
Learn moreCar accident medical records
Clear documentation of diagnoses, findings and treatment, ready when your insurer or attorney asks for records.
Learn moreMichigan No-Fault (PIP) patients
We work with your auto insurer’s PIP medical benefits and help you get the paperwork right.
Learn moreSouthfield, on Lahser Road
- Address
- 27211 Lahser Rd, Suite 200
Southfield, MI 48034 - Phone
- (313) 319-4284
- Visits
- Same-day appointments and walk-ins. Call ahead and we'll have your paperwork ready.
- Serving
- Southfield, Detroit, Oak Park, Royal Oak, Farmington Hills, Dearborn, Livonia, Novi, Troy, Warren and the rest of Metro Detroit.