Chronic Pain and PTSD: How the Past Can Affect Your Health

Past and present traumatic events have physical and mental
effects on the human body that can manifest into chronic
pain and/or post traumatic stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
affects an average of eight million adults during a given year,
while one in three Americans will be affected by chronic pain in their lifetime.

The Brain-Body Connection

After surviving a traumatic event, the body and mind will find ways to adapt physically and mentally to deal with the incident. Emotional and mental treatment of chronic pain as it relates to PTSD is very important. One symptom of PTSD is depression. Taking the time to figure out the cause of a patient’s PTSD and depression, and addressing it prior to treating chronic pain, has been proven to improve a patient’s level of pain.

Common forms of chronic pain developed due to traumatic experiences include:

Pelvic pain
Back pain
Fibromyalgia
Whiplash
Migraines

All of these are common and can be treated with routine chiropractic care.

Past traumas do not have to determine future happenings. Although there is no “cure” for PTSD, there are ways to treat and manage the physical effects that a traumatic experience may have caused to the body. Incorporating regular chiropractic adjustments and healthy therapy treatments can help start the healing process mentally, physically and emotionally.

If you or anyone you know may be suffering from PTSD please visit the National Center for PTSD.