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 documented type of pain, beat out only by back problems and headaches.
As a result, many patients come to our Nashville office seeking neck pain care, and Sweeney Chiropractic has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some research shows that over 90 percent of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic care.
A study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 people who were suffering with neck problems. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated 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 thoracic spine adjustments.
Information was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors found that 94% of the experimental group reported "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.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who reported dealing with neck pain. Each individual was randomly allocated to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the treatments.
Researchers found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that offered 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.
Another study also found the same sort of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still experienced neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The patient reported reduced pain in her neck and reduced 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 improved as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."
It is scientific studies like these that demonstrate the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck pain 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.
We're located in Nashville and Sweeney Chiropractic can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (615) 331-7040.
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