Several forces can act violently on the body in a very short time during a car accident. An impact to the rear of the vehicle can send the victim lurching forward only to snap sharply backward from the tightening of the seatbelt. Impacts from various angles can cause the spine to jerk violently, damaging spinal discs or pulling them out of proper position and alignment.
When a person suffering from degenerative disc disease experiences these forces, the results can be devastating and extremely painful. During disc degeneration, the soft cartilage pads between the bones of the spinal column degrade and warp out of position. Damaged spinal discs can cause extreme pain, and herniation from a car accident can make this even worse.