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Overview of the assesment and treatment of Whiplash and Whiplash associated Disorder
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Whiplash Injury.
Dr. Christopher A. Jenner MB BS, FRCA, FFPMRCADr. Jonathan Stewart MBChB, FRCA, MFPM
Consultants in Pain MedicineImperial Healthcare NHS Trust and London Pain Clinic
10th May 2012
Agenda
• Definition
• Clinical findings
• Management
• Prognosis
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Definition
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Definition
• Sudden hyperextension and hyperflexion injury to neck
• An acceleration/ deceleration mechanism of Energy transfer to the neck
• Whip-like movement
Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD)
• Given the wide variety of symptoms that are associated with whiplash injuries the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders, coined the phrase, Whiplash-Associated Disorders.[
Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD)
• Classed by severity of signs and symptoms- Québec Task Force (QTF)
• WAD 0 No complaints or physical signs• WAD 1 Neck complaints but no physical signs• WAD 2 Neck complaints and musculoskeletal signs• WAD 3 Neck complaints and neurological signs • WAD 4 Neck complaints and fracture / dislocation
• Most whiplash injury results from low impact collisions
Soft Tissue Damage
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Soft Tissue Damage
• Ligaments (ALL)
• Tendons
• Muscles
• Intervertebral discs
• Facet Joints
• Nerve roots
Serious
• Spine injuries
• Spinal Cord injury
• Brain injury
• (coup-contra-coup)
Pathophysiology
• Interaction sequence for a collision lasting approximately 300 milliseconds.
0 ms
• Rear car structure is impacted and begins to move forward and/or crushes
• Occupant remains stationary
• No occupant forces
100 ms
• Vehicle seat accelerates and pushes into occupant’s torso (i.e. central portion of the body in contact with seat)
• The torso loads the seat and is accelerated forward (seat will deflect rearward)
• Head remains stationary due to inertia
150 ms
• Torso is accelerated by the vehicle seat and may start to ramp up the seat
• Lower neck is pulled forward by the accelerated torso/seat
• The head rotates and extends rapidly rearward hyper-extending the neck
175 ms
• Head is still moving backwards
• Vehicle seat begins to spring forward
• The torso continues to be accelerated forward
• The head rotation rearward is increased and is fully extended
300 ms
• Head and torso are accelerated forward
• Neck is “whipped” forward rotating and hyper-flexing the neck forward
• The head accelerates due to neck motion and moves ahead of the seat back
Causes
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Causes
• “Railroad spine” first coined in 1919 following train collisions.
• Following invention of cars, number of whiplash-related injuries risen sharply due to an increase in rear-end motor vehicle collisions.
Causes
• RTA commonly- front/ back/ side
• Contact sport injuries
• Accidental/ intentional blows to head
• Child abuse- shaking, hitting
• Cervical acceleration-deceleration injury
Incidence
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Incidence
• US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1995)
• 53% of 5.5 million RTA victims suffered whiplash injury
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Prevalence of whiplash-associated disorder symptoms
Widespread pain seen after whiplash in car-crash victims, but not in survivors without whiplash [Rheumawire > News; Sep 30,
2005]
Ferrari R, et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2005; 64:1337-1342.
Symptom Males (%)
Females (%)
Neck/shoulder pain 100 100
Headache 78.4 86.1
Numbness/tingling or pain in arms/hands
37.8 46.4
Numbness/tingling or pain in legs/feet
23.5 28.3
Dizziness/unsteadiness 41.4 48.3
Nausea 21.6 33.9
Ringing in the ears 21.4 20.5
Concentration problems 24.1 27.8
Low back pain 61.9 64.6
Clinical
Symptoms and Signs
• Pain
• Stiffness
• ↓ ROM
Symptoms and Signs
• Local Neurological
- abnormal sensations arms (burning/ paraesthesia)
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Symptoms and Signs
• General neurological
• dizziness • headache • blurred vision • pain on swallowing • ringing in ears • irritability • tinnitus
Symptoms and Signs
• Psychological-
• memory loss
• cognitive impairment
• sleep disturbance
• fatigue
• depression
• PTSD
Symptoms and Signs
• Secondary Myofacial Pain Syndrome (Fibromyalgia)
• Lower Back Pain
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Symptoms and Signs
• Whiplash syndrome-
• continual headache
• pain
• reduced movement
• tingling
• lumbar pains
• fatigue
• sleep disturbance
Chronic Whiplash
Complex interaction between many factors:
Biological
Psychosocial Legal
Economics Beliefs / Attitudes
Psychological factors are also hypothesized to influence the existence of whiplash-related cognitive impairments.
Investigations
Investigations
• X-rays- exclude #
• CT
• MRI
Treatment
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Overall Aim of Treatment
• Pain-free window
• Rehabilitation
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Treatment
• Education
• Medication
• Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
• Minimally Invasive Pain Management Procedures
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Education
• Explain benign nature of WAD
• Avoid confusing and conflicting info
• Watch for factors leading to pain chronicity
• Home / work programmes as effective as physiotherapy
• Teach relaxation and stress management
• Educate posture and neck care
Education
• Ergonomics at home and work
• Home program of heat and cold & exercises
• Self Monitor stress, sleep and mood
• Headaches
• Avoid excessive investigation
Medication
Medication
• Pharmacological
• WHO ladder (amended from cancer)
Step 1 paracetamol/ NSAID/ COX 2
Step 2 + weak opioids
Step 3 + strong opioids
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Medication
• Adequate medication- regularly, prevent breakthrough pain
• Muscle relaxant- Diazepam/ Baclofen
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Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
• Clear red flags – C-spine instability/ #
• Adequate medication- regularly, prevent breakthrough pain
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Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
• Keep neck moving as normally as possible!
• Collars not recommended
• Gentle mobilisation
Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
• Avoid ‘stiffening-up’
• Studies- quicker recovery with gentle exercise
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Physical Therapy/ Rehabilitation
• Pacing activities
• Fear avoidance
• Catastrophising- not torn muscle/ severe
Other Physical Treatments
• Physical- heat/ cold/ TENS/ hydro/ supports/ US/ IR/ firm supportive pillow/ good posture
• Manipulation- PxTx/ chiropracter/ osteopathy/ deep tissue massage
Minimally Invasive Pain Management
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Cervical and Thoracic facet joint injections
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Cervical and Thoracic facet joint radiofrequency
denervation
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Trigger Point Injections
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1. Dry Needling
2. Local Anaesthetic and Steroid preparations
3. Botulinum Toxin A
Prevention
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Prevention
• Head restraints
• 3 in 4 not properly adjusted!
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Prognosis• 25% better within one week• Most better within 1 month• Only 2% not recover at 1 yr
• With other injuries:
• 19% better within 1 wk• 30% within 1 month
• 4% not recover at 1 yr
N=2810 (all waiting for compensation) The Effect of Socio-Demographic and Crash-Related Factors on the Prognosis of Whiplash. J Clin Epidemiol Vol. 51, No. 5, pp. 377–384, The Effect of Socio-Demographic and Crash-Related Factors on the Prognosis of Whiplash. J Clin Epidemiol Vol. 51, No. 5, pp. 377–384,
19981998
Prognosis
• Lower rate of recovery: • Multiple injuries• Female • Older age, every decade increase in age,
likelihood of recovery decreases by 14% • Larger number of dependents,• Married status, • Not being employed full time, low income• Low education•
Prognosis
• Being in a truck time.or bus (less in cars)
• Being a passenger, 15% lower for passengers than drivers
• Collision with a moving object,
• Colliding head-on or sideways (rear collision better)
•
Prognosis
• Wearing a seatbelt! (Head restraints better outcome)
• Neck rotated or side bent
• Previous neck pain (females) and cervical deg. changes
• Lawyer involvement! (proof they are a pain in the neck)
Rule of thumb
• Those with continuing symptoms three months after the accident are likely to remain symptomatic for at least two years, possibly much longer
Any Questions
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