The best approach to the problem of whiplash? One ticket to Lithuania, please

The Quebec Task Force (QTF) on Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) - 1995 - sent a clear message that we need to re-evaluate the basis for our treatme nt strategies, and in particular place more emphasis on research to better define these strategies. Judging by many of the clinical strategies current ly in use, rite Task Force recommendations seem to have been largely ignore d three years later. A further compelling reason to re-evaluate our current practices at this time is the finding of much more rapid recovery rates in some cultures, even with little or no therapy. This commentary is a frank consideration of the therapeutic community's responsibility to not only hel p solve the dilemma of whiplash, but also avoid contributing to the problem . We thus explore a new biopsychosocial model of whiplash, considering the effects of symptom expectation, amplification, and attribution in chronic p ain reporting. Based on that model we propose a treatment strategy, and con clude that such strategies provide the only viable approach to this medicol egal and social dilemma.