Chiropractic Care Beats Drugs for Healing Neck Pain

An estimated 70% of people will experience neck pain at some point in life. There are many treatment options out there for the condition, but there has been little research about the effectiveness of some treatments compared to others. A recent study has sought to change that, with the intent of comparing three common neck pain treatments: chiropractic care, medication, and exercise.

Researchers recruited 272 patients with acute or subacute neck pain. Each participant was randomly chosen to receive either chiropractic treatments, medications, or exercise under the direction of a medical professional. Researchers compared the efficacy of the three treatment options after 12 weeks of treatment. They also measured the patients' pain periodically for one year following the treatment.

Both chiropractic care and exercise therapy were found to be significantly more effective than drugs for reducing pain. In fact, patients treated with either chiropractic or exercise were twice as likely to achieve complete pain relief than those who used medication.

In the regular follow-up examinations, researchers also discovered that most of the chiropractic patients achieved pain relief that lasted a year or more, highlighting the long-term benefits of chiropractic care in treating neck pain.

The study authors concluded that the success of chiropractic is likely because chiropractors are able to address the root causes of neck pain rather than just masking the symptoms. Studies also show that combining chiropractic with exercise can lead to improved outcomes in patients with spinal conditions.

By using a combination of chiropractic adjustments and active rehabilitation, our Salem chiropractic team can provide effective relief of neck pain after a work injury or auto accident. At Michels Spinal Rehab + Associates, we help our Salem patients get rid of their neck pain and get back to their lives. Call Dr. Geary Michels today.



Reference

Bronfort, Gert, Roni Evans, Alfred Anderson, Kenneth Svendsen, Yiscah Bracha, and Richard Grimm. Spinal Manipulation, medication, or home exercise with advice for acute and subacute neck pain: a randomized trial. Annals of Internal Medicine  2012; 156 (1): 1-10.