Causes of Pain Chronic after Auto Injuries

Of the roughly 2 million rear-end crashes in the US every year, a substantial number of people find themselves suffering from long-term pain and disability. Some studies have shown that about 20% of people are still in pain one year after a collision.

Dr. Robert Ramsey sees many accident cases in our Gresham, OR office, and we frequently see patients who have been struggling for many years and have not been able to find help. Dr. Robert Ramsey has great success in treating these patients.

The Cause of Chronic Pain

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

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

If the injury isn't treated immediately, a negative cycle develops. The injured tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system responds. This creates a feedback loop in your nervous system that experts refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system actually becomes oversensitive to any kind of stimulation, producing chronic pain.

Dr. Robert Ramsey is able to help this kind of problem, 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 Gresham, OR and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Robert Ramsey a call today at (503) 667-6744 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.