View clinical trials related to Whiplash.
Filter by:This study is investigating whether changes in the shape and size of bodily muscles and spinal cord anatomy can influence recovery rates following a motor vehicle collision (MVC). The objective is to demonstrate that the presence of muscle and spinal cord degeneration and associated muscle weakness is the consequence of a mild MVC-related injury involving the cervical spinal cord.
Background: Costs of health care consumption and sick leave 2006 in Sweden for Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD) was estimated to be 4 billion Swedish crowns. Despite tremendous costs and personal sufferings there are only a few prospective randomized studies (RCT) in patients with chronic WAD, and none of them evaluating return to work, or the role of neck specific exercises with or without a combination of a behavioral approach compared with prescribed physical activity. Aim: The general aim of this RCT is to examine what neck-specific training with or without a combination with behavioral approach adds to prescribed physical activity of persons with chronic WAD with regard to pain intensity, physical and psychological function, health care consumption and return to work. Another aim is to study predictive factors of importance for a good outcome of rehabilitation. Method: After informed consent patients in age 18-63 years of age with WAD II-III with more than 6 months duration will be randomized to one out of the three alternatives of physiotherapy, treatment with medical exercise therapy with neck specific exercises (A),treatment with a behavioral approach combined with neck specific exercises (B), prescribed physical activity (C). Randomisation will be done by the central project leader. 200 patients will be included in the study. All physiotherapists engaged in the structured and well described treatment will be introduced in the program by the project leader. The measurements with good clinometric properties will be performed before treatment, after 12 weeks, 6, 12 and 24 months after inclusion into the study. Clinical measurements will be performed by a blinded investigator. Background data, disease-specific and generic data will be measured by self-evaluated answered questionnaires by the patients. Days of sick-leave will be collected from the Social Insurance Agency. Main outcomes of the measurements are pain intensity, neck specific disability and return to work. Cost-effectiveness will be calculated.
This physiological study examines whether acupuncture exerts short-term effects of analgesic mechanisms in patients with chronic whiplash pain. More specifically, it is examined whether acupuncture activates brain-orchestrated pain inhibitory action.
Diffuse noxious inhibitory control In order to quantify central sensitization in chronic pain patients, the Diffuse Noxious Inhibitory Control (DNIC) model has been used frequently. DNIC relies on painful conditioning stimulation of one part of the body to inhibit pain in another part, to remove the "noise" and to focus on relevant stimuli. Earlier studies provided evidence for malfunctioning of DNIC in Fibromyalgia (FM) patients. However, the cause of this impairment is not yet elucidated, and further study is required to unravel the pathophysiology of DNIC in FM. Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis Besides neural mechanisms, also hormonal abnormalities could cause altered pain processing. Cortisol is released in answer to pain to suppress the pain. Given the evidence for hypofunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the lower cortisol release in response to stressors in a proportion of FM patients and in chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD) patients, the relation between pain and cortisol in these patients may be an interesting topic to consider. Neurocognitive performance Besides chronic pain, people with chronic WAD and FM suffer from severe concentration difficulties and decreased neurocognitive capabilities (reduced reaction time, short term memory deficits etc. The decreased neurocognitive performance is known to be related to pain severity in various chronic pain populations. It is hypothesized that malfunctioning of descending inhibitory pathways and subsequent chronic pain experience precludes optimal neurocognitive performance. Objectives The present investigation addresses the (patho)physiological mechanisms of DNIC in chronic pain populations. 1. Firstly, patients with FM, chronic WAD and healthy controls are compared regarding functioning of DNIC, cortisol levels and response and neurocognitive performance (case-control). 2. Secondly, the possible interaction between the functioning of DNIC, cortisol and neurocognitive performance is studied in patients with FM, WAD and healthy control subjects (cross-sectional). 3. Thirdly, to examine whether a fatiguing neurocognitive stressor changes DNIC and cortisol levels in patients with FM, chronic WAD or healthy sedentary control subjects.
This study is designed to collect normative data on cervical isometric strength and range of motion to supplement an existing normative data base.