Whiplash Relief

From the Publishers of the New England Journal of Medicine

Using radio waves to deaden nerves in the neck that carry pain signals may bring relief to some people with whiplash, say Australian researchers in the December 5 New England Journal of Medicine. With the technique, called percutaneous radio-frequency neurotomy, a heated electrode is pressed against the nerves, making lesions that interrupt transmission of pain sensations.

Twenty-four men and women who had whiplash following a car accident were given either the real treatment or a sham version with an unheated electrode. Patients couldn't tell which version they got because regional anesthesia numbed sensation in their necks.

Most people felt some pain relief after either treatment. Typically, within eight days, the people given the sham procedure felt pain that was at least half as bad as their original pain. Pain didn't return to this level for about nine months in those who received the real treatment.

Click above to view a QuickTime movie (1.5 MB) on whiplash treatment using radio waves. (After viewing the video, use the "Back" button on your browser to return to this page.)"http://www.onhealth.com/ch1/in-depth/content/video/ww5rm05.mov"

The researchers note that the procedure can be repeated when the pain returns or in people who don't respond the first time. The intricate surgery takes around three hours. Because of technical difficulties, people whose pain was high up in their neck were excluded from the study. All patients in the study had tried more conventional treatments including painkillers, physical therapy, and chiropractic care.
For chronic neck pain, US experts recommend medication and aggressive physical therapyósometimes together with psychological counseling. As a last resort, surgery that fuses the painful joint is sometimes tried. The electrode technique is not new, but it rarely is used in the neck area. Because the treatment is less invasive than fusion of the bones, it is worth studying more to assess its long-term effects, says Johns Hopkins neurosurgeon Richard North, MD.