According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more people in the US 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 pain and headaches.
Not surprisingly, a lot of patients come to our Harrisburg office looking for neck pain treatment, and Dr. Blake has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some research shows that over 90 percent of neck pain patients get relief with chiropractic.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 men and women who were suffering with neck problems. Approximately half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were assigned to a comparison group. Both were given chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise program, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Data was collected before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors found that 94% 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, showing that evaluating the entire spine is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.
One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were suffering with neck pain. Each person 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.
The investigators discovered that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that provided such positive results in the first report) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the group that received the non-thrust manipulations. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of technique offers many benefits.
One study even found the same sort of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgical procedure. This specific case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still reported neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The patient reported decreased pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, right after the first chiropractic treatment session. 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 studies like these that substantiate the advantages of chiropractic care, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck problems and would like to find a remedy that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the relief you're looking for.
Our office is in Harrisburg and Dr. Blake can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (717) 657-2561.
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