Stroke— the word alone is enough to send chills throughout your body. Most have never heard of vertebral artery dissections because it’s infrequent and difficult to diagnose. Still, it is one of the leading causes of strokes in young and otherwise healthy patients, which makes it all the more terrifying.
How They Occur
Vertebral arteries are major blood vessels located in your neck and are responsible for supplying blood to the upper spinal cord, brainstem, cerebellum, and posterior part of the brain.
Vertebral artery dissections are flap-like tears, which allow blood to enter the arterial wall, resulting in a blood clot. The clot will continue to increase in size, and initially, blood will still be able to pass through, but eventually, it will block off all blood flow.
Possible Causes
Damage to your vertebral artery can occur after any blunt force trauma to the neck. Some examples of ways this can transpire include the following:
Car accidents
Chiropractic treatment
Hyperextension while lifting weights
Sudden jolts from a roller coaster
Playing sports
You may feel fine after the initial soreness in your neck wears off, but this deadly injury can go unnoticed for days or weeks before it’s too late.
Signs and Symptoms
The lack of proper blood flow can lead to the following symptoms:
Neck pain
Headaches
Nausea
Dizziness or vertigo
Loss of strength in one side of the body or face
Those who have recently experienced blunt force trauma to the neck and present these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 10% of patients who sustain a dissection do not survive, but 80% of those who do survive are able to achieve a full recovery. By taking prompt action, a vertebral artery dissection can be treated before a stroke or permanent damage occurs.
We’re Here to Help
If you have suffered a vertebral artery dissection that led to a stroke, disability, or brain damage from the fault of a failed diagnosis or improper medical treatment, you deserve to hold the negligent parties accountable. At Kornfeld Law, our team is ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.
Call Kornfeld Law today at (425) 657-5255 to speak with an experienced Kirkland attorney about your vertebral artery dissection case.