Pain Thresholds and Tenderness in Neck and Head Following Acute Whiplash Injury: A Prospective Study

• Published in: Cephalalgia 2001-04, Vol.21 (3), p.189-197
• Main Authors: Kasch, H, Stengaard-Pedersen, K, Arendt-Nielsen, L, Staehelin Jensen, T
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; ankle; Ankle Injuries - physiopathology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Headache Disorders - physiopathology; Humans; injuries; Male; Middle Aged; muscle pain; Neck Pain - physiopathology; Pain Threshold - physiology; palpation; pressure algometry; Prospective Studies; Reference Values; Whiplash injuries; Whiplash Injuries - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0333-1024; 1468-2982
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1468-2982.2001.00179.x

Objective of the investigation: In a 6-month prospective study of 141 consecutive acute whiplash-injured participants, and 40 acute, ankle-injured controls, pain and tenderness in the neck/head, and at a distant control site, were measured. Basic procedures: Muscle palpation and pressure algometry in five head/neck muscle-pairs were performed after 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months after injury. Algometry was performed at a distant control site. Main findings: Whiplash-injured patients had lowered pressure-pain-detection thresholds and higher palpation-score initially in the neck/head, but the groups were similar after 6 months, and the control site was not sensitized. Principal conclusion: Focal, but not generalized, sensitization to musculoskeletal structure is present until 3 months, but not 6 months, after whiplash injury, and probably does not play a major role in the development of late whiplash syndrome. Pressure algometry and palpation are useful clinical tools in the evaluation of neck and jaw pain in acute whiplash injury.