Causes of Chronic Pain after Auto Injuries

Of the over 2 million rear-end crashes in the US annually, a substantial number of men and women find themselves suffering from long-term pain and disability. Some research shows that 1 out of 5 people are still in pain a year after a crash.

Dr. Palmer sees many auto accident cases in our Depew office, and we oftentimes see individuals who have been hurting for many years and have not been able to find relief. Dr. Palmer has great success in helping these patients.

The Roots of Chronic Pain

During an accident, the ligaments of your spinal column can be sprained or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and inflamed and transmits pain impulses to the spinal cord and central nervous system.

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

If the injury isn't managed right away, a negative cycle develops. The hurt tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system responds. This produces a feedback loop in your nervous system that specialists refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system literally becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulation, leading to chronic pain.

Dr. Palmer is able to help this kind of condition, as chiropractic care is a proven way to restore the nervous system's healthy functioning. Studies show that chiropractic is effective at relieving pain from auto injuries and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Depew and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Palmer a call today at (716) 668-2225 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.