PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Chronic neck pain common among car crash victims, but most don't sue

2014-01-17
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Tom Hughes
tahughes@unch.unc.edu
919-966-6047
University of North Carolina Health Care
Chronic neck pain common among car crash victims, but most don't sue

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A new study led by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers is the first large prospective study to evaluate musculoskeletal pain outcomes after motor vehicle collision in the U.S.

Nearly 4 million individuals in the U.S. come to hospital emergency departments for evaluation after motor vehicle collision each year. More than 90 percent of these individuals are discharged to home after evaluation. Results of the study, which enrolled individuals from eight emergency departments in four states, indicate that persistent pain is common in this population. Six weeks after their accident, more than 70 percent of individuals reported persistent musculoskeletal pain in one or more body regions. More than one third of study participants reported pain in four or more body regions.

"In the U.S., if someone develops chronic neck pain or other pain after a car accident, and they go to their doctor or tell their friends, they are often not believed or are viewed with great suspicion, as if their symptoms are not real and they are just trying to sue someone," said Samuel McLean, MD, MPH, first author of the study and associate professor of anesthesiology and emergency medicine. "Our findings indicate that persistent pain is very common among those who aren't suing, and that only a minority of those with persistent pain are engaged in litigation."

Among 948 individuals enrolled in the study, only 17 percent had contacted a lawyer for planned litigation six weeks after their accident. Among the majority of individuals who were not planning litigation, persistent pain was still common: 28 percent had persistent moderate or severe neck pain, 13 percent had widespread musculoskeletal pain in seven or more body regions, and 4 percent had a fibromyalgia-like syndrome.

"It is hard enough to be suffering from a persistent pain condition after trauma that is moderate or severe, and/or occurring across many body regions. Unfortunately, these patients also often have to deal with the additional burden not being believed. Hopefully the results of this study will contribute to helping doctors and the public understand that these symptoms are common, including among patients who aren't suing anyone."



INFORMATION:

The study was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of investigators from eight institutions. UNC co-authors on the study include Andrey Bortsov, MD, PhD, from the Department of Anesthesiology, and Gary Slade, BDSc, PhD, and Eric Bair, PhD.

The study was published online on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, by the journal, Pain.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Study finds chimps can use gestures to communicate in hunt for food

2014-01-17
Study finds chimps can use gestures to communicate in hunt for food Chimpanzees are capable of using gestures to communicate as they pursue specific goals, such as finding a hidden piece of food, according to a new Georgia State University research study. Researchers ...

Penn researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa

2014-01-17
Penn researchers run successful HIV intervention project in S. Africa First large-scale project of its kind A large-scale human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) intervention/education effort aimed at helping South African men ...

IUPUI faculty and undergrad researchers evaluate peer-led team learning in cyberspace

2014-01-17
IUPUI faculty and undergrad researchers evaluate peer-led team learning in cyberspace INDIANAPOLIS -- Peer-Led Team Learning in undergraduate education is growing in popularity in universities across the country in courses ...

Is Europe equipped with enough medical oncologists? Horizon still unknown

2014-01-17
Is Europe equipped with enough medical oncologists? Horizon still unknown ESMO press commentary

Colby fire near Los Angeles, California

2014-01-17
Colby fire near Los Angeles, California A wildfire started and spread quickly in the foothills northeast of Los Angeles on January 16, 2014. The plume of ash and smoke blanketed much of the metropolitan area and prompted air quality warnings. The Moderate Resolution ...

High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes

2014-01-17
High volume of severe sepsis patients may result in better outcomes (Boston) – A recent study led by Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) shows that "practice may make perfect" when it comes to caring for patients with severe sepsis. The ...

NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone Deliwe

2014-01-17
NASA satellite catches birth of Tropical Cyclone Deliwe The tropical depression southwest of Madagascar on January 16 developed into a tropical cyclone early on January 17 as NASA's Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured its birth. When Aqua passed over newborn ...

NASA satellite watches Southern Pacific birth Tropical Cyclone June

2014-01-17
NASA satellite watches Southern Pacific birth Tropical Cyclone June The tenth tropical cyclone of the Southern Pacific Ocean cyclone season was born today, January 17 as NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on the storm as it became Tropical Storm June. NASA's ...

Energy storage in miniaturized capacitors may boost green energy technology

2014-01-17
Energy storage in miniaturized capacitors may boost green energy technology Researchers study the properties of a novel material, described in the journal 'AIP Advances,' that could help build high heat-tolerant supercapacitors WASHINGTON D.C. Jan. 17, ...

Clever chemistry improves a new class of antibiotics

2014-01-17
Clever chemistry improves a new class of antibiotics PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — As concerns about bacterial resistance to antibiotics grow, researchers are racing to find new kinds of drugs to replace ones that are no longer effective. One promising new class ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Global environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys significantly expand known geographic and ecological niche ranges of marine fish, highlighting current biases in conservation and ecological modeling

Hundreds of animal studies on brain damage after stroke flagged for problematic images

Prize winner’s research reveals how complex neural circuits are correctly wired during brain development

Supershear rupture sustained in thick fault zone during 2025 Mandalay earthquake, study in research package shows

Study reveals how brain cell networks stabilize memory formation

CTE: More than just head trauma, suggests new study

New psychology study suggests chimpanzees might be rational thinkers

Study links genetic variants to higher 'bad' cholesterol and heart attack risk

Myanmar fault had ideal geometry to produce 2025 supershear earthquake

Breakthrough in BRCA2 research: a novel mechanism behind chemoresistance discovered

New funding for health economics research on substance use disorder treatments

Tying protein to fraying DNA solves mystery of illness for patients around the world

MD Anderson shares latest research breakthroughs

19 women’s college basketball coaches join forces to improve women’s cardiovascular health

Palaeontology: How ammolite gemstones get their vivid colours

New study explores ‘legacy effects’ of soil microbes on plants across Kansas

Nanotyrannus confirmed: Dueling dinosaurs fossil rewrites the story of T. rex

How do planets get wet? Experiments show water creation during planet formation process

The diagnosis and evolving treatment landscape of systemic light chain amyloidosis

Lactylation in gynecological malignancies: a bridge between lactate metabolism and epigenetic therapy

Immune cell phenotypes, inflammatory proteins and epilepsy

Olfaction and coronary heart disease

Consistent adherence to physical activity guidelines and digestive system cancer risk and mortality

Beliefs about the effect of alcohol use on cancer risk in the us adult population

Comprehensive molecular profiling of renal medullary carcinoma identifies TROP2 as a promising therapeutic target

Breast cancer risk varies between different hormonal contraceptives

Immature brain-supporting cells switch fate to restore blood flow after stroke 

Making more supply to meet the demands of muscle cell therapy

Americans have widespread misbeliefs about the cancer risks of alcohol, study finds

JMIR Publications’ Journal of Medical Internet Research invites submissions on Digital Health Strategic Planning

[Press-News.org] Chronic neck pain common among car crash victims, but most don't sue