For some with a back injury, it can be difficult or painful to breathe. This back injury can be an indicator of a severe condition. After a car accident or work-related injury, your musculoskeletal system can be traumatized, leading to back injuries and related breathing pain. If this is the case, you will need a medical assessment performed right away. Many back injuries can cause pain when taking a breath, and it takes time and quality medical care to ensure your injury and symptoms are treated effectively.

Back Injury Signs

Many types of back injuries can cause pain when breathing, but that pain is often linked to damaged soft tissues and muscle, resulting in some of the following:

• Breathing pain and difficulty
• Headaches
• Stiffness
• Tightness
• Muscle spasms
• Inflammation and tenderness
• Chest pain

When the sensitive areas supporting the spine are injured, you may experience sharp pain when you cough or sneeze, and even a deep breath can send pain through your body.

Common Back Injuries That Can Cause Painful Breathing

1. Sprained and Strained Back Muscles and Ligaments
   These types of injuries are the most common cause of breathing pain. A sprained or strained muscle can swell and leads to spasms. The result is often painful breathing, especially if the injury is in the mid to upper part of your back.
2. Herniated Discs
   A herniated disc happens when the soft cushion between a pair of vertebrae ruptures and leaks into that disc’s outer sac. The result is inflammation and pressure on the spine and surrounding nerves, often resulting in pain when you breathe.
3. Vertebral Fractures
   When you break a vertebra, there can be many different side effects depending on the type of fracture, which can cause inflammation, pressure, pain or weakness when you try and stand, difficulty turning or twisting, and pain when breathing.

When you injure your back in a work-related incident, it is critical that you seek medical evaluation and attention as quickly as possible to determine the extent of your injuries and develop a treatment plan. Working with a doctor experienced with workers’ compensation is crucial as they will help ensure you have all the appropriate documentation for your workers’ comp claim. If you have had an accident on the job but are not sure if you have been injured, experiencing pain when you take deep breaths can be an indicator that you have a back injury. When it comes to on-the-job injuries, it is always better to be safe than sorry. If you are not sure if you are injured or the extent of your injuries, it is best to report the incident and immediately see a doctor for evaluation. This not only increases your chance of a successful workers’ compensation claim but that you are quickly on the road to recovery.

The Park Avenue Traum team is experienced with many types of workplace and auto-related injuries, including back injuries. We can help you with diagnosis, recovery, and documentation for your workers’ comp or auto accident case.