Victims Suffer Pain One Year After Injury

March 2008

The physical pain felt by accident victims lingers long after their injuries are sustained, reports a study published in the Archives of Surgery. Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle found that more than 60 percent of people still suffer significant pain one year after a traumatic injury in car crashes, falls, and other accidents.

Most participants in the study had pain in more than one region of the body. On average, patients estimated their pain to be at a level that moderately to severely impacts their daily activities. Along with high incidence of depression, people who suffer from chronic pain are more likely to be unable to work and function normally.