What causes persistent pain after a car wreck?

Of the roughly 2 million rear-end collisions in the US annually, a significant number of men and women end up experiencing long-term pain and disability. Some research indicates that 1 out of 5 people are still in pain 12 months after a collision.

Select Health and Wellness sees many auto injury cases in our Fleming Island, FL office, and we frequently see individuals who have been hurting for many years and have not been able to find help. Select Health and Wellness has great success in helping these patients.

The Cause of Chronic Pain

During an accident, the ligaments of your spine can be stretched or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and irritated and sends pain signals to the spine and brain.

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

If the injury isn't addressed immediately, a negative cycle develops. The injured tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system reacts. This creates 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.

Select Health and Wellness is able to help this kind of issue, as chiropractic care is a proven way to restore your nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that adjustments are successful at relieving pain from auto collisions and shows that chiropractic actually has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Fleming Island, FL and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Select Health and Wellness a call today at (904) 425-9060 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.