It’s possible. Offices are frequently not set up for the best comfort of its employees, leading to muscle strain, eyestrain, and especially neck injuries.
One such injury, torticollis, is common in office workers. This condition causes nerve damage and abnormal movements of the neck and head, leading to an eventual shortening on the muscles of one side of the neck. Answering phones or keeping the head tilted at strange angles for long periods may contribute to the condition, which if left untreated, may result in uncontrollable head spasms and tremors.
Treatment for torticollis may include:
- Heat and massage therapy to relieve neck pain
- Stretching exercises to lengthen the shortened muscles
- Use of a neck brace to ease muscle spasms
- Medications (such as anti-spasmodic or pain relieving drugs)
- Botulinum toxin (Botox) injections to prevent spasms
- Spinal surgery may be considered to realign vertebrae or remove nerves in the neck muscles
Torticollis will cause a worker significant pain and discomfort, as well as social and financial losses due to uncontrollable spasming. If your employer did not provide you with adequate assistance devices, such as a hands-free phone headset, you may be able to pursue a worker’s comp claim. The severity of the condition can vary greatly from person to person, so it is a good idea to have a doctor assess the intensity of your pain and the degree of disability as you prepare your worker’s compensation lawsuit.
If you suffered a New Jersey neck injury at work, call Manfred F. Ricciardelli, Jr. today at (877) 360-0183 to find out how much you could be awarded in your FREE, one-on-one case evaluation.