Whiplash Symptoms May Not Go Away

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Whiplash Symptoms May Not Go Away

Soft-tissue injuries of the cervical spine create persistent symptoms that are influenced by physical and psychological factors. Forty patients with a whiplash injury who had been previously reviewed (2 and 10 years after the original injury) were assessed again after an average of 15.5 years by way of physical examination, pain measurements and psychometric testing.

Twenty-eight (70%) of the subjects continued to complain of symptoms referable to the original accident. Neck pain was the most common complaint, but low-back pain was also mentioned by nearly 50% of the patients. Radiating pain was reported in those with severe, persisting symptoms. Evidence of psychological disturbance was also seen in 52% of the patients presenting with residual symptoms. Between 10 and 15 years after their initial injuries, only 18% of the patients demonstrated significant improvement, whereas 28% showed deterioration.

The prevalence of persistent whiplash symptoms and complaints 10 and 15 years after the initial accident suggests two things: first, that soft-tissue injuries of the cervical spine can be chronic and debilitating; and second, that prevention strategies need to be improved both in clinical practice and in automotive design and safety standards.
Squires B, Gargan MF, Bannister GC. Soft-tissue injuries of the cervical spine: a 15-year follow-up. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (British Edition), 1996;(70B), pp955-57.