What causes persistent pain after a car wreck?

Of the over 2 million rear-end crashes in the US each year, a substantial number of people end up dealing with chronic pain and disability. Some studies have shown that about 20% of people are still in pain one year after a crash.

Dr. Russell sees many auto injury cases in our Henderson, Nevada office, and we oftentimes see individuals who have been struggling for many years and have not been able to find help. Dr. Russell has great success in treating these patients.

What Causes Chronic Pain after a Crash?

During an accident, the structures of your neck and back can be sprained or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and irritated and sends pain signals to the spine and central nervous system.

Pain tells your nervous system that something is wrong, which tells the muscles in the injured area to contract to shield the area from further harm.

If the trauma isn't addressed immediately, a negative cycle develops. The damaged tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system reacts. This creates a feedback loop in your nervous system that experts refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system basically becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulus, producing chronic pain.

Dr. Russell is able to help this kind of problem, as chiropractic care is a proven way to restore the nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that chiropractic is successful at reducing pain from auto injuries and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Henderson, Nevada and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Russell a call today at (702) 990-2225 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.