Algesimeter Measures Pain Associated With Whiplash Injury



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NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 12 - Computerized pain algesimetry 
may

offer a standardized approach for quantitatively assessing cervical 
pain

following whiplash injuries, researchers based in Germany report. 
Their

findings also show that processes of early sensitization in 
whiplash

injuries may occur peripherally as well as centrally.



The clinical evaluation of pressure pain tends to be subjective and

qualitative, Dr. Philipp Stude, of University of Essen, and his

colleagues point out in their article, published in the December 
issue

of Cephalalgia.



They used a computer-interactive pressure algesimeter to 
standardize

cervical pain measurement in 23 drivers who had a whiplash injury 
7 days

earlier in a rear-end collision, and 24 healthy control subjects. A

constant pressure of 1310 kPa was applied to the left and right 
splenius

muscle and to the left and right trapezius muscle.



"We found increased pain expression parameters in the acute stage 
of

whiplash injury, where the left trapezii muscles were more 
painful than

the right ones, perhaps due to the drivers' position in the car,"

co-author Dr. Katrina Nebel told Reuters Health.



Specifically, they observed a steep rise of the pain intensity-time

function indicating raised pressure pain in the patient group but 
not

the control group. Maximal muscle pressure pain was significantly

increased for both the left and right splenius muscles and the left

trapezius muscles compared with the control group. The tolerance

threshold was also reached more rapidly within the whiplash 
group.



When subjects were retested, Dr. Nebel said, 10% to 20% of 
patients

still had high levels of pressure pain 6 weeks after the trauma.



Her group is now "examining which factors might predict long-
lasting

symptoms" in whiplash injuries.



Cephalalgia 2004;24:1067-1075.