Chiropractic + Exercise: A Winning Solution for Neck Pain

Salem chiropractor Dr. Geary Michels frequently treats patients with neck pain caused by a range of spinal conditions. Pain is a signal from your body that something is amiss, whether that be a cervical disc herniation, spinal misalignment, arthritis, whiplash, or other musculoskeletal disorder.

Neck pain, regardless of its cause, is often a debilitating condition causing lost work time, chronic headaches, and reduced quality of life. This is one of the most common reasons for people to seek chiropractic care in Salem, OR.

At the same time, many people react to the pain by reducing their physical activity level, afraid of causing more damage or exacerbating the pain. However, research shows that exercise, when combined with spinal manipulation by a chiropractor, may be the most effective way to treat neck pain.

A recently published review examined the various treatments for neck pain. According to the authors, patients often experience the greatest pain relief after receiving chiropractic care combined with exercise therapy. The research team reviewed 17 controlled trials, conducted from 1996 to 2009, involving neck pain treatments. The various treatments tested included chiropractic manipulation both with and without exercise, as well as exercise alone and traditional cures such as medication and surgery.

According to the researchers, the most effective treatments were those combining spinal manipulation and mobilization with exercise. Patients receiving such treatment experienced better pain relief than patients receiving either therapy by itself, as well as patients receiving other treatments such as medication.  These patients also reported greater satisfaction with their treatment results and greater quality of life improvements.

The researchers suggest that while chiropractic care has previously been shown to be effective for neck pain relief, greater effectiveness may be achieved by combining this treatment with exercise therapy. More research is needed to determine the specific forms of exercise that are most effective at treating neck pain.

Salem chiropractor Dr. Geary Michels has found that pairing exercise with chiropractic treatments provides significant benefits to his patients with neck pain. To experience the benefits of chiropractic care for neck pain, call Michels Spinal Rehab & Associates in Salem, OR today.

Reference

Miller J, Gross A, D'Sylva J, Burnie SJ, Goldsmith CH, Graham N, Haines T, Bronfort G, Hoving JL. Manual therapy and exercise for neck pain: A systematic review. Manual Therapy 15(2010) 334-354.