Chronic Pain Behavior after a Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration Injury: A Case Report

“Chronic Pain Behavior after a Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration Injury: A Case Report” by Dr. Scott R. Storozuk, D.C. and Dr. Anna N. Storozuk, D.C. won the 1998 Literary Award from the Virginia Chiropractic Association. The article reports on a Whiplash injury case where the patient exhibited chronic pain behavior. Even though the patient was becoming functionally better with increased range of motion and a decrease in the number of tight, ropey muscular areas known as trigger points, the patient began to focus on pain as the sole indicator of improvement. The patient’s focus and behavior was making it harder for her physical injuries to heal. When the clinicians recognized her chronic pain behavior, a multi-disciplinary approach to her case was established leading to a 65% improvement in her condition and her subsequent release from care.