Pain thresholds and tenderness in neck and head following acute whiplash injury: a prospective study

Objective of the investigation: In a 6-month prospective study of 141 conse cutive acute whiplash-injured participants, and 40 acute, ankle-injured con trols, pain and tenderness in the neck/head, and at a distant control site, were measured. Basic procedures: Muscle palpation and pressure algometry i n five head/neck muscle-pairs were performed after 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 mo nths after injury. Algometry was performed at a distant control site. Main findings: Whiplash-injured patients had lowered pressure-pain-detectio n thresholds and higher palpation-score initially in the neck/head, but the groups were similar after 6 months, and the control site was not sensitize d. Principal conclusion: Focal, but not generalized, sensitization to muscu loskeletal structure is present until 3 months, but not 6 months, after whi plash injury, and probably does not play a major role in the development of late whiplash syndrome. Pressure algometry and palpation are useful clinic al tools in the evaluation of neck and jaw pain in acute whiplash injury.