What causes long-term pain after a motor vehicle accident?

Wilsonville, OR auto injury treatmentOf the roughly 2 million rear-end crashes in the United States each year, a significant number of people end up enduring long-term pain and disability. Some research shows that about 20% of people are still in pain 12 months after a crash.

Dr. Dale Burt Johnston, DC sees many accident cases in our Wilsonville, OR location, and we frequently see people who have been suffering for many years and have not been able to find relief. Dr. Dale Burt Johnston, DC has great success in helping these patients.

What Causes Chronic Pain after a Crash?

During a collision, the structures of your neck and back can be sprained or torn. The damaged 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 injury isn't treated immediately, a negative cycle develops. The hurt tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system responds. This creates a feedback loop in your nervous system that researchers refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system literally becomes oversensitive to any kind of stimulation, causing chronic pain.

Dr. Dale Burt Johnston, DC is able to help this kind of problem, 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 car accidents and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Wilsonville, OR and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Dale Burt Johnston, DC a call today at (503) 682-9046 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.
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