There are another set of problems that evolve as a consequence of the neurologic deficits and brain injury. The overlooked fractures can lead to severe pain which may not be localizable at first. This can also lead to increased spasticity, increased risk of complications from poor healing of the fracture and other comorbidities may develop such as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or heterotopic calcification. Harvey discs do not actually fracture. They are not bone.
Discs can herniated and lead to neurological deficits such as weakness, numbness and pain.
If the disc herniation is very large and in the neck it can cause quadriplegia like a spinal cord injury and there are some patients with TBI who also suffer spinal cord injuries. If the disc is huge and in the lumbar spine it can cause paraplegia. Less severe herniations can cause pain and may be hard tio identify clinically if the individual has impaired cognition or hemi paresis on the same side. The most popular treatment for RSD recently has been neurontin. Neurontin is a seizure medication which has become very popular in pain management.