What causes persistent pain after a car crash?

Of the over 2 million rear-end accidents in the United States annually, a significant number of people end up experiencing long-term pain and impairment. Some research shows that 1 out of 5 people are still in pain 12 months after a crash.

Chiropractic Care & Rehab Center sees many auto injury cases in our Estero, Bonita Springs location, and we oftentimes see individuals who have been suffering for many years and have not been able to find help. Chiropractic Care & Rehab Center has great success in helping these patients.

The Cause of Chronic Pain

During an accident, the structures of your neck and back can be stretched or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and inflamed and sends pain signals to the spinal cord and brain.

Pain tells your nervous system that something is wrong, which tells the muscle tissues in the injured area to contract to protect the area from further trauma.

If the damage isn't treated immediately, a negative cycle develops. The injured area keeps sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system responds. This creates a feedback loop in your nervous system that specialists refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system essentially becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulus, leading to chronic pain.

Chiropractic Care & Rehab Center is able to help this kind of problem, as chiropractic is a proven way to restore the nervous system's healthy functioning. Studies show that adjustments are effective at reducing pain from car accidents and shows that chiropractic actually has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Estero, Bonita Springs and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Chiropractic Care & Rehab Center a call today at (239) 495-1166 for a consultation or appointment.

• Ferrari R. A prospective study of the 1-year incidence of fibromyalgia after acute whiplash injury. Rheumatic & Musculoskeletal Disease 2015; doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2014-000007.
• Stone AM, Vicenzino B, Lim EC, Sterling M. Measures of central hyperexcitability in chronic whiplash associated disorder - A systematic review and meta-analysis. Manual Therapy 2012;18(2):111-7.