Of the approximately 2 million rear-end accidents in the US every year, a significant number of people find themselves experiencing chronic pain and disability. Some studies have shown that 1 out of 5 people are still in pain 12 months after an accident.

Dr. John Phelts sees many car crash cases in our New York office, and we often see individuals who have been hurting for many years and have not been able to find help. Dr. John Phelts has great success in treating these patients.

What Causes Chronic Pain after a Crash?

During an accident, the ligaments of your spinal column can be stretched or torn. The injured area becomes swollen and inflamed and transmits pain impulses to the spine and brain.

Pain tells your body that something is wrong, which tells the muscle tissues in the injured area to contract to shield the area from further trauma.

If the injury isn't treated immediately, a negative cycle develops. The hurt area keeps sending pain signals and each time, your nervous system responds. This produces a feedback loop in your nervous system that experts refer to as "central sensitization." Your nervous system basically becomes oversensitive to any kind of stimulation, leading to chronic pain.

Dr. John Phelts is able to help this kind of problem, as chiropractic is a proven way to restore the nervous system's healthy functioning. Research shows that chiropractic is effective at reducing pain from car crashes and shows that chiropractic in fact has positive effects on the pain centers of the brain.

If you live in New York and have been in a crash, you don't have to suffer with chronic pain. Give Dr. John Phelts a call today at (212) 286-2012 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.