According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. What's more, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by back problems and headaches.
As a result, a lot of patients come to our Harrisburg office looking for neck pain treatment, and Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some studies have shown that over 90% of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic.
A study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 men and women who were suffering with neck problems. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were assigned to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Information was collected before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors found that 94 percent of the experimental group reported "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the individuals who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, illustrating that looking at the entire spine is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.
One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 who reported suffering with neck pain. Each individual was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the adjustments.
Researchers discovered that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that provided such positive results in the first report) "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.
Another study also found the same kind of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This specific case involved a 46-year-old patient who had recently had neck surgery but still endured neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The patient documented reduced pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, right 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 substantiate the advantages of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted medical procedures that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck problems 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.
Our office is in Harrisburg and Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (717) 657-2561.
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