Since the advent of the wheel, there have been plenty of accidents to go around, so it isn’t that uncommon to see people of all ages suffering from chronic pain. Statistics show that up to 85% of Americans will suffer chronic back pain at some point in their lives.1  Furthermore, 31 million Americans will experience low-back pain at any given time, while up to half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.4  With statistics like these it’s easy to see why pain management is a necessity for so many Americans.  Listed below, are more interesting facts you should know about back pain.

• After the common cold, back pain is the top reason for visiting the doctor in the U.S.
• An upwards of 50 billion dollars is spent each year trying to fix back problems. 3
• 30-40 percent of all workplace absences are because of back pain.
• Approximately 25% of adults 20 years and older, reported having lower back pain lasting at least one whole day in the past three months. 5
• Back pain is the number 1 cause of disability in the US for those under 45. 2
• Most cases of back pain are not caused by serious conditions like arthritis, infections, fractures or cancer.

As you can see, whether you are young or old, back pain shows no favoritism and can affect any one at any age.  If you or a loved one falls into any of these statistical categories and you need a pain management doctor in the DFW area, visit WOLMED and set up an appointment today.

References
1. Orthopedic Clinics of North America, Volume 35, Issue I, Pages 1-5 S. Pai, L. Sundaram
2. Bigos S, et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults, Clinical Practice Guideline No. 14. Rockville, MD: U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, AHCPR Pub. No. 95-0642, Dec. 1994.Eyerman, Edward MD. Journal of Neuroimaging. June 1998
3. John P. Kostuik, MD, and Simeon Margolis, MD, Ph.D. Low Back Pain and Osteoporosis. The John Hopkins White Paper on Low Back Pain and Osteoporosis, 2002.
4. Vallfors B. Acute, Subacute and Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Symptoms, Absenteeism and Working Environment. Scan J Rehab Med Suppl 1985; 11: 1-98.
5. National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2006, Special Feature on Pain With Chartbook on Trends in the
Health of Americans. Hyattsville, MD.

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In a 2008 survey by Nationwide Insurance, 67 percent of people admitted to using a cell phone while driving.  That means that roughly 2 out of every 3 drivers on the road are using their cell phones while driving.  The number one source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device, according to Virginia Tech researchers.  As a result, driving while distracted is a factor in 1 out of every 4 police reported crashes.

A 2005 controlled study of Australian drivers found that cell phone users were four times as likely to get into an accident serious enough to injure them.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that phone conversation tasks typically decrease reaction times, travel speeds, and increase lane deviations and steering wheel movements.

Drivers on cell phones cause serious auto injuries.  If you or someone you know was injured in a car wreck due to the other driver being distracted with a cell phone, call WOL+MED today.  We can help you.  Our medical doctors are auto injury experts.  If you think you need a personal injury attorney, we can also help you find the right lawyer for you.  You need a doctor who can help you with all of your auto injury concerns.  We can help you.  We want to be your doctor.

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The safer drivers wake up early to make time for driving slower.  They drive cautiously and defensively so they don’t get into a car wreck that can cause serious injury, property damage, or worse.  The one thing that most people worry about though is not being able to control the “other driver”.

Has this happened to you?  Have you ever been in a car wreck during bad road conditions that could have easily been avoided if the other driver just would have slowed down and been more of a defensive driver, just like you were?  Then, you have to stand out in the rain or snow to exchange insurance information.  You’re cold.  You’re wet.  You’re angry.  You’re injured.

Now what?  You need to see a doctor.  You might even need a lawyer.  You’re going to have unexpected insurance hassles.  You might have to take time off of work and get a rental car.  All because of a wreckless driver!

If you were injured in a car wreck, call WOL+MED.  If you know someone who was hurt in a car wreck, tell them to call WOL+MED.  If you’re one of those wreckless drivers and it’s snowing or raining – SLOW DOWN!

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The #1 contributing factor to these serious injury crashes was failing to control speed, followed by driver inattention (going too fast and not paying attention). 

The following data is the most surprising.  If you were asked what the weather conditions were of most injuries, you would probably say rainy or icy conditions or driving at night.  You would be wrong.  63% of serious injury crashes occurred during daylight hours and 88% happened during dry road conditions.  Less than 7% of serious injury crashes happened during rainy conditions.  Serious injury crashes happened only about 10% of the time when combining wet and icy road conditions.

Finally, the ages of drivers who were in serious injury accidents was not as surprising.  Of those accidents where the driver’s age was reported, 27% were between the ages of 18 and 25, 23% were between the ages of 26 and 35, 19% were 36  to 45, 16% were 46 to 55, and 15% were 56+.

So, what does this data tell us?  For one, watch out for young adults driving too fast in near-perfect conditions.  I always assumed (and was wrong) that most serious injuries happened during poor weather / driving conditions, but everyone knows that the younger drivers are the most at risk for car accidents.

What do you do when you are hurt in a car wreck?  Always call the police and get an accident report.  This is very helpful for your insurance company.  Call 911 if you or someone else is seriously injured.  See a doctor who specializes in auto injuries as soon as possible following the accident.  WOL+MED, for example, can see you the same day as your injury, and we specialize in auto injuries and urgent care.  Also, you might need a personal injury lawyer and believe me, there are some really good ones out there.

Personal Injury Attorneys specialize in dealing directly with your insurance company and with the other driver’s insurance company.  They make sure that all of your injuries and auto damages are fully covered.  Many people think they can do all of this alone, but personal injury lawyers know how to get over the hurdles that some insurance carriers put in the way.  As far as doctor’s bills are concerned, a personal injury attorney will give the doctor a letter of protection (LOP) and this will allow you to get all of the treatment you need with no out-of-pocket cost.  Car accidents are unexpected to say the least.  You’re not planning on having to pay doctor’s bills and auto body expenses.  LOP’s will help you get all of that done with far less financial stress.

WOL+MED knows who the good personal injury lawyers are and we can recommend someone to you who will do the right job for you.  If you or a loved one has been in a serious auto injury, give WOL+MED a call.  We are auto injury experts and we want to be your doctor. 

For more information, visit on the web at www.wolmed.com.

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