Whiplash Treatment
A study in the Lancet has suggested that intensive treatment for whiplash injuries makes little difference as compared to standard care and, with whiplash itself being a matter for great debate, from government down at the present time, the study places further uncertainty into the debate over what is the best treatment available for those suffering from these types of injuries.
The need to have effective treatment is obvious with whiplash-type injuries estimated to cost the UK economy in the region of 3.1bn pounds every year, largely due to the treatment of those with more chronic symptoms and the need for them to take time away from, work. The government's attempts to intervene are a direct result of the fact that, though road accidents have fallen by about 20% since 2006, in the same timeframe there has been a substantial rise in the number of whiplash injury compensation claims.
The government says it is committed to dealing with the problem and there may be more initiatives launched later this year. The idea of having independent medical panels to more accurately diagnose whiplash is a particular idea gaining support in Westminster.
The Lancet survey involved 599 patients in 12 NHS hospitals who were followed for up to 12 months to ascertain whether active management of a whiplash-type condition really made a great deal of difference to the person concerned. It had initially been thought that training hospital staff to provide a more intensive service could have made an impact in getting people to recover quicker. Such treatment would involve more positive messages about recovery, getting access to specialist advice on the best exercises to do and more general advice on getting back to work earlier and also returning to normal activities as soon as possible.
The study found virtually no difference in how people fared whether they had the more intensive or the more relaxed approach. It also found, interestingly, that physiotherapy beyond a single advice session, whilst it did provide a modest benefit, did not prove to be cost effective. Therefore the study recommends that long courses of physio work are not suggested to patients.
The study is a fascinating look into the treatment of whiplash-type injuries and clearly challenges some long-held assumptions. It also begs the question what exactly should a patient do to recover as quickly as possible from a whiplash-type injury? Should they take exercise and if so how much? Should they return to work as soon as possible or take more time to rest up?
At the very least the study does show that hospitals do provide evidence-based and cost-effective treatment and this is more cost-effective when they do the minimum required rather than spending exhaustive amounts of time trying to get a patient to undertake more intensive methods.
The need to have effective treatment is obvious with whiplash-type injuries estimated to cost the UK economy in the region of 3.1bn pounds every year, largely due to the treatment of those with more chronic symptoms and the need for them to take time away from, work. The government's attempts to intervene are a direct result of the fact that, though road accidents have fallen by about 20% since 2006, in the same timeframe there has been a substantial rise in the number of whiplash injury compensation claims.
The government says it is committed to dealing with the problem and there may be more initiatives launched later this year. The idea of having independent medical panels to more accurately diagnose whiplash is a particular idea gaining support in Westminster.
The Lancet survey involved 599 patients in 12 NHS hospitals who were followed for up to 12 months to ascertain whether active management of a whiplash-type condition really made a great deal of difference to the person concerned. It had initially been thought that training hospital staff to provide a more intensive service could have made an impact in getting people to recover quicker. Such treatment would involve more positive messages about recovery, getting access to specialist advice on the best exercises to do and more general advice on getting back to work earlier and also returning to normal activities as soon as possible.
The study found virtually no difference in how people fared whether they had the more intensive or the more relaxed approach. It also found, interestingly, that physiotherapy beyond a single advice session, whilst it did provide a modest benefit, did not prove to be cost effective. Therefore the study recommends that long courses of physio work are not suggested to patients.
The study is a fascinating look into the treatment of whiplash-type injuries and clearly challenges some long-held assumptions. It also begs the question what exactly should a patient do to recover as quickly as possible from a whiplash-type injury? Should they take exercise and if so how much? Should they return to work as soon as possible or take more time to rest up?
At the very least the study does show that hospitals do provide evidence-based and cost-effective treatment and this is more cost-effective when they do the minimum required rather than spending exhaustive amounts of time trying to get a patient to undertake more intensive methods.