What causes chronic pain after a motor vehicle accident?

Of the over 2 million rear-end collisions in the US annually, a significant number of men and women find themselves dealing with long-term pain and impairment. Some studies have shown that 18% of people are still in pain a year after a collision.

Dr. Mark Holland sees many accident cases in our North County, St. Louis, MO location, and we often see patients who have been suffering for many years and have not been able to find relief. Dr. Mark Holland has great success in treating these patients.

The Cause of Chronic Pain

During a collision, the tissues of your spinal column can be stretched or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and irritated and sends pain impulses to the spinal cord and central nervous system.

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

If the injury isn't managed right away, a negative cycle develops. The hurt tissues keep sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system reacts. This brings about a feedback loop in your nervous system that experts refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system literally becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulation, triggering chronic pain.

Dr. Mark Holland is able to help this kind of issue, as chiropractic is a proven way to restore the nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that adjustments are effective at relieving pain from car crashes and shows that chiropractic actually has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in North County, St. Louis, MO and have been in a collision, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Mark Holland a call today at (314) 867-8888 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.