Causes of Chronic Pain after Auto Injuries

Of the over 2 million rear-end crashes in the US each year, a substantial number of men and women end up troubled with long-term pain and disability. Some research shows that 18% of people are still in pain a year after an accident.

Dr. Ernst sees many auto injury patients in our Arlington, WA location, and we regularly see patients who have been suffering for many years and have not been able to find help. Dr. Ernst has great success in treating these patients.

The Cause of Chronic Pain

During a crash, the ligaments of your neck and back can be stretched or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and irritated and transmits pain signals to the spinal cord and brain.

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

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

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

If you live in Arlington, WA and have been in a crash, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Ernst a call today at (360) 659-8464 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.