Treating Neck Pain with Chiropractic

Treating Neck Pain with Chiropractic

According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. On top of that, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by back pain and headaches.

Not surprisingly, a lot of patients come to our Napa office seeking neck pain care, and Dr. Bettencourt has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some research shows that over 90% of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic care.

Studies Confirm Chiropractic's Positive Effects

A study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 individuals who were suffering with neck problems. Roughly half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.

Data was gathered before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. Researchers found that 94 percent of the experimental group claimed "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the patients who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, illustrating that thinking about the entire spinal column is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.

Yet another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were dealing with neck pain. Each man or woman was randomly allocated to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with follow-up exams occurring two and four days after the adjustments.

Researchers discovered that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that provided such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the patients who received the non-thrust adjustments. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of approach offers many benefits.

Chiropractic Even Offers Benefits After Failed Neck Surgery

Another study found the same kind of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still endured neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.

The patient reported reduced pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic adjustments. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still rated her pain at a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Her neck disability reduced as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."

It is scientific studies like these that demonstrate the advantages of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted medical procedures that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck pain and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the relief you're looking for.

We're located in Napa and Dr. Bettencourt can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (707) 257-3600.

References

  • AAPM facts and figures on pain. The American Academy of Pain Medicine.
  • Masaracchio M, Cleland JA, Hellman M, Hagins M. Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2013;43(3):118-127.
  • Cleland JA, Glynn P, Whitman JM, Eberhart SL, MacDonald C, Childs JD. Short-term effects of thrust versus nonthrust mobilization/manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 2007;87(4):431-440.
  • Salvatori R, Rowe RH, Osborne R, Beneciuk JM. Use of thoracic spine thrust manipulation for neck pain and headache in a patient following multiple-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case report. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(6):440-449.
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    At Ranch Chiropractic our approach is unique and different! We see you as an individual with a unique set of needs, and we see Chiropractic health care as the means to help retrain your body to take care of itself. As you grow older, the stress of everyday life, repetitive motion at work, injuries and falls, or just plain living can compromise your body’s ability to cope. Our mission is to provide affordable, effective, “results-driven” patient centered Care.