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A majority of individuals who are diagnosed with
whiplash-related injuries as a result of an automobile accident are often advised
to manage a pain diary to supervise their symptoms but, a recent study
indicated that keeping record of your own ailments may not prove as beneficial
as experts believe. The findings demonstrated that consistent recording of an
individual’s pain and discomfort in a journal may actually slow down their
recovery from whiplash-associated disorders.
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The research conducted from the University of Alberta
involved 60 individuals diagnosed with acute whiplash injuries. Each individual
was randomly designated to one of two separate groups: a symptom diary group or
a control group. The individuals of both groups had comparable scores to each
other on the Whiplash Disability Questionnaire which demonstrated no substantial
difference in the standard guideline of symptoms between the two groups. The
individuals from the symptom diary group were asked to manage a journal rating
their overall levels of pain for each day. Additionally, individuals from both
groups received physical therapy for their whiplash-type injuries. After three
months of treatment, the individuals were evaluated for recovery. Although
individuals whom utilized a pain journal to record their symptoms displayed
improvements after three months, they were less probable to report being fully
recovered. Overall, 59% of the individuals within the symptom diary group
reported recovery as compared to 86% of the individuals within the control
group.
The author of the study, Robert Ferrari, concluded that not
only was using a pain diary unfavorable towards recovery but its use might
actually be more harmful for the individual. Ferrari explained that keeping a
pain diary could make an individual more aware of their symptoms, leading to
incorrect perceptions of prognosis. Negative attitudes have before been linked
to chronic pain symptoms in individuals with whiplash-type injuries and low
back pain.
“While diaries may serve a useful purpose to facilitate
practitioner-patient communication about symptoms and to track the course of
symptoms, the benefits have not been demonstrated”, Ferrari wrote.
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
