FACTORS INFLUENCING RECOVERY FROM HEADACHE AFTER COMMON WHIPLASH

Objective-To assess the relation between pretraumatic and trauma relat ed headache in patients suffering from whiplash. Design-Follow up stud y of patients examined a mean (SD) of 7.4 (4.2) days after trauma and again at three and six months. Setting-Patients referred from primary care. Subjects-117 patients (mean age 30.8 (9.5) years. Main outcome m easures-Prevalence of trauma related headache and the predictive relat ion by multiple logistic regression between different somatic and psyc hological variables and trauma related headache at each examination. R esults-Prevalence of trauma related headache decreased from 57% to 27% . History of pretraumatic headache proved a significant risk factor fo r presenting with trauma related headache. A significant relation betw een trauma related headache and the following variables was found: at seven days the initial wellbeing score, early onset of neck pain, depr ession scale from the personality inventory, and the initial intensity of neck pain; at three months, intensity of neck pain, and history of pretraumatic headache; and at six months neck pain, pain intensity, a nd history of pretraumatic headache. Conclusions-History of pretraumat ic headache significantly increases the likelihood of presenting with trauma related headache but only in combination with findings indicati ve of clinically important injury to the cervical spine.