• H Kasch, K Stengaard-Pedersen, L Arendt-Nielsen, and T Staehelin Jensen.
• Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Helge@akhphd.au.dk
• Cephalalgia. 2001 Apr 1;21(3):189-97.

UnlabelledOBJECTIVE OF THE INVESTIGATION: In a 6-month prospective study of 141 consecutive acute whiplash-injured participants, and 40 acute, ankle-injured controls, pain and tenderness in the neck/head, and at a distant control site, were measured.Basic ProceduresMuscle palpation and pressure algometry in five head/neck muscle-pairs were performed after 1 week and 1, 3 and 6 months after injury. Algometry was performed at a distant control site.Main FindingsWhiplash-injured patients had lowered pressure-pain-detection thresholds and higher palpation-score initially in the neck/head, but the groups were similar after 6 months, and the control site was not sensitized.Principal ConclusionFocal, but not generalized, sensitization to musculoskeletal structure is present until 3 months, but not 6 months, after whiplash injury, and probably does not play a major role in the development of late whiplash syndrome. Pressure algometry and palpation are useful clinical tools in the evaluation of neck and jaw pain in acute whiplash injury.

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