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 documented type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headaches.
Not surprisingly, a lot of patients come to our Nashville office seeking neck pain treatment, and Sweeney Chiropractic has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some research shows that over 90% of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic.
A study 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 received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise program, whereas the experimental group also received thoracic spine adjustments.
Data was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. Researchers 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 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.
Yet another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who reported 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 offered such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the group that received the non-thrust adjustments. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of technique offers many benefits.
One study also found the same kind of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical procedure. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still suffered with neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The woman documented decreased pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic treatment session. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed 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 prove the effectiveness of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck discomfort and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the help you're looking for.
Our office is in Nashville and Sweeney Chiropractic can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (615) 331-7040.
References
Dr. Jim Sweeney & Dr. Jon Sweeney, your Nashville Chiropractors and Palmer College of Chiropractic West graduates, provide quality chiropractic care to patients in Nashville, TN. If you suffer from back pain, neck pain, headache, sciatica or have been in an auto collision, Sweeney Chiropractic can get you back on the road to health.
