title: [Persistent chronic pain following traffic accident].
abstract: Persistent chronic pain in victims injured in traffic accident often results from psychological factors to punish the person who caused the accident. Patients with whiplash associated disorders sometimes have fear that they can not make full recovery from various symptoms including acute or chronic pain. Such a fear deteriorates prognosis of the patients as well. Therefore, doctors in charge of those patients in emergency room should make effort to subside fear. They should not exaggerate seriousness of the injury by overdiagnosis and/or overtreatments, but to give correct and adequate information. In addition, in patients with complex regional pain syndrome I, psychological dispositions have serious effect on prognosis. Although various treatments in pain clinics might be ultimate, they are not radical therapeutic procedures that ensure full recovery to daily living and social activities. To the patients with CRPS-I, correct diagnosis based on the newly established criteria and appropriate treatments in the early stage, such as medication of steroids and/or active-passive exercise of extremities in alternating hot and cold baths to prevent worsening of chronic symptoms are the most essential elements for favorable outcome.
authors.affiliation: Keiyuu Orthopaedic Hospital, Tatebayashi 374-0011.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirabayashi
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takayama
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D002908:Chronic Disease; D020918:Complex Regional Pain Syndromes; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology