Causes of Chronic Pain after a Car Crash

Of the roughly 2 million rear-end accidents in the United States every year, a significant number of men and women end up experiencing chronic pain and disability. Some studies have shown that about 20% of people are still in pain a year after a collision.

Drs. Ken Haycock & Tim Vierheller sees many accident patients in our Massillon, OH office, and we oftentimes see people who have been struggling for many years and have not been able to find relief. Drs. Ken Haycock & Tim Vierheller has great success in helping these patients.

The Roots of Chronic Pain

During an accident, the structures of your spinal column can be sprained or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and inflamed and sends pain signals to the spinal cord and brain.

Pain tells your body that something is wrong, which tells the muscles in the injured area to contract to protect the area from further damage.

If the trauma isn't addressed right away, a negative cycle develops. The damaged tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system reacts. This produces a feedback loop in your nervous system that researchers refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system basically becomes oversensitive to any kind of stimulus, producing chronic pain.

Drs. Ken Haycock & Tim Vierheller is able to help this kind of condition, as chiropractic is a proven way to restore your nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that chiropractic is effective at reducing pain from car accidents and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in Massillon, OH and have been in a crash, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Drs. Ken Haycock & Tim Vierheller a call today at (330) 833-2085 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.