Helped Over 500,000 patients with 98%+ satisfaction.

Connect & Get Personalized 1-to-1 Answers from Expert Doctors

DoctorSpring > Question Home

Spinal disc hernia caused by bicycle accident

Resolved Question:

Hi! i want to know how to prove tomy medical insurance company that i have a spine hernia caused by a bicycle accident, do you know anything about this??? , where can i find articles or literature regarding this ?
Thanks allot!
Ben

Category: Orthopedic Surgeon

Ask Your Own Question

Category: Spine Surgeon
 19 Doctors Online

With additional inputs from Dr.Deepu Sebin Sebastian

Hello,

Thank you for asking your query at DoctorSpring.

My apologies for the delay in reply.

"Spinal Herniation" is an incorrect term. Do you mean spinal disc herniation ? This is a condition in which the disc between two spines bulge out causing various manifestations.

Precise name and details of the condition is important as we are dealing with an insurance case. Could you please confirm the diagnosis ? Also what are specific issues you are facing while filing for insurance approval ?

(I assume the issue is whether the Disc herniation is pre existing or is it new due to bicycle accident. Please let me know whether my assumption is correct)

You can reply as a followup

Thank you


Patient replied :

Hello Doc! thanks for your reply!
Well yes i have a spinal disc herniation sorry for the incorrect term.
The principal problem is that my insurance is refusing to pay me as an accident because they say that is a desease.
In 2011 i was mountain biking,when i finished riding i lift my bike to put it on the rack and i felt a veeeeeeeery intense pain in my back, so i went to ER because I could not stand the pain, they give me pain killers and 2 weeks of rest so i got well after that, but not a 100% i always fell a little pain in the same area since that accident.
This Year that pain was stronger so i decided to go with my doctor to see whats happening in my back and he told me that i have 3 spinal disc herniations,he told me to do physiotherapy and rest.
The big problem is when i claim to my insurance all my expenses, they say that is not an accident, then i fight with them and they told me that i will have to ask my doctor to make a report, telling the insurance company that in fact my actual condition is because of that accident back in 2011, buuuuuut my freaking doctor doesn´t want to make that report because he said that 100% of spinal hernias are diseases and they are not caused by any type of accident, so i want to make a research to show my doctor that he is wrong. Can you help me???

thanks


Hello,

Allow me list down my opinions for clarity:

1. Spinal disc herniation is a disease of degeneration and wear and tear in most of the cases. However spinal disc herniation can occur due to trauma and accident. This is called traumatic disc herniation. You can find case reports at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed . Use terms like traumatic spinal disc prolapse/herniation, traumatic lumbar disc herniation/prolapse etc. to find case reports. These reports might not be similar to your case, but ascertains the fact that accidents can cause spinal disc herniation.

2. BUT, disc herniation of a trauma and disease appears different on MRI . So you Doctor will be able to make out it on the MRI. Chances are that you might have had the disease prior to the accident, which was unnoticed. The accident could have made it worse and caused further damage.

3. Unless you had an MRI at the time of injury, with features highly suggestive of traumatic disc prolapse, your Doctor might not give a favourable report. Even if the Doctors files a favourable report, chances are that it will be again thoroughly verified by the insurance company.

4. I understand this is unfair, as the accident brought out the symptoms. You should discuss with your Doctor whether the MRI shows signs of degeneration or trauma. (May be a Radiologist will be able to answer it better). If it shows signs of trauma you have a better chance.

Hope this helps.
Please feel free to ask followup questions.


Patient replied :

Hi Doc!!!! thanks very much you are helping me allot!!!!

I want to send you my MRI so you can have a better view of my case and maybe you can define if my problem is a desease or caused by the accident, but i dont know how to scan them, maybe a will take pictures with backlite

THANKS!
BEN


Hello,

Sure, if you can scan them or take pictures. You can ask the MRI lab if they could assist you.

Regards


Dr. Mukesh Tiwari
Category: Spine Surgeon
Experience: 
Fellowship - Khandaka Hospital, Jaipur
Residency - MS, Rabindranath Tagore Medical College, Udaipur, 2000
Medical School, Internship - MBBS, SMS Medical College, Jaipur, 1995
Dr. Mukesh Tiwari and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

Users who read this, also read:

Make informed and better medical decisions.

Join the 500,000 people who found a smarter, quicker way to get Answers, Recommendations & Expert Opinions.

Expert Doctors at fingertips

Recommendation on next step. Second-opinion.Multi-specialty.

Save Time

Average time for answers: 6 hours.

Save Money

$35 for typical specialist consult vs. $120 for a local appointment.

Free Follow-ups

Clarify, ask further questions for free in private conversation.

100% Satisfaction

Money back guarantee for the 1st reply. MEDNET Quality Board.

Start My Consultation

CHAT NOW

About DoctorSpring.com

Doctor Spring is a novel online Doctor consultation platform where you can get your medical questions answered by leading Doctors. Just Submit your question and rest assured that you will consult a Doctor easily. Once you submit the question, the Doctor from the concerned specialty will reply within hours. You can always ask more questions or add details with follow-up question options and make it an online doctor chat. You may use this service to consult a specialty or for getting medical second opinion. All paid services come with a MEDNET quality assurance and 100% money back guarantee.

DoctorSpring in news