Causes of Chronic Pain after Car Crashes

Of the approximately 2 million rear-end crashes in the US annually, a substantial number of people end up suffering from chronic pain and impairment. Some research indicates that 18% of people are still in pain 12 months after a collision.

Dr. Ashkan Aazami sees many auto injury cases in our District Heights, MD office, and we oftentimes see people who have been suffering for many years and have not been able to find relief. Dr. Ashkan Aazami has great success in helping these patients.

What Causes Chronic Pain after a Crash?

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

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

If the trauma isn't addressed right away, a negative cycle develops. The damaged area keeps sending pain signals and each time, your central nervous system responds. This produces a feedback loop in your nervous system that experts refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system actually becomes hypersensitive to any kind of stimulation, triggering chronic pain.

Dr. Ashkan Aazami is able to help this kind of issue, as chiropractic care is a proven way to restore your nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that chiropractic is successful at relieving pain from car accidents and shows that chiropractic actually has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in District Heights, MD and have been in a crash, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. Ashkan Aazami a call today at (301) 322-7777 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.