Do Whiplash Injuries Predict Future Health Problems?
The Journal of Clinical Epidemiology recently reported on a Swedish study in which 232 people who had reported whiplash injury as a result of rear-end collisions were surveyed seven years later regarding their health complaints. The group was compared to a similar group of 232 people who had been in similar car crashes but had not reported whiplash injury. Both groups were compared to 3688 subjects who were not involved in auto accidents.Subjects who had reported whiplash injury were more likely to complain of headache, mid back and low back pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and "ill health." The relative risks were in the range of 1.6 to 3.7 (where a value of 1.0 represents risk equal to subjects who were not involved in accidents). Those who were in accidents but did not report whiplash injury did not have a higher incidence of such complaints.
The authors concluded that "rear-end collisions resulting in reported whiplash injuries seem to have a substantial impact on health complaints, even a long time after the collision."
COMMENTARY
Neck injuries sustained in automobile collisions, especially the rear-end variety, can be painful and disabling. Some people experience prolonged effects lasting months and even years.However, this study apparently ignored other factors which may lead such injured individuals to develop additional complaints years later. The logic in the authors' conclusion that rear-end collisions causing whiplash can have a substantial impact on health after many years is, to use a presidential term, fuzzy. If it rains right after I wash my car, should I therefore conclude that washing my car will make it rain?
Since the study was based on people's reports of injury rather than medical records documenting the injuries, this study apparently does not consider the possibility that at least some of the people who reported whiplash injuries could have been exaggerating their symptoms. Perhaps some were hoping for larger insurance settlements. Some of these injured people might have been overly sensitive, what we sometimes refer to as hypochondriacs. It would make sense, then, that those subjects who reported neck injuries might also report a higher incidence of other complaints years later which the authors of the study may erroneously attribute to having been injured.
This is not meant to trivialize the potential for injuries as a result of car crashes. Chiropractic care is often very helpful for such conditions, and many people make rapid and complete recoveries, although some experience chronic residual symptoms. But it is important to remember that conclusions drawn from a single research study are not necessarily valid.
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