Causes of Chronic Pain after Auto Injuries

Of the over 2 million rear-end collisions in the United States each year, a substantial number of people find themselves experiencing chronic pain and disability. Some research shows that 1 out of 5 people are still in pain 12 months after a crash.

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

The Roots of Chronic Pain

During a collision, the ligaments of your spinal column can be sprained or torn. The damaged 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 muscles in the damaged area to contract to shield the area from further injury.

If the trauma isn't addressed right away, a negative cycle develops. The injured tissues keep 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 basically becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulus, triggering chronic pain.

Dr. Russell and Dr. Janda is able to help this kind of problem, as chiropractic is a proven way to restore your nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that adjustments are successful at relieving pain from car accidents and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Henderson, NV and have been in a crash, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Russell and Dr. Janda 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.