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 back pain and headaches.
Of course, a lot of people come to our Nashville office looking for neck pain care, and Sweeney Chiropractic has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some research indicates 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 pain. 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, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Data was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors 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 evaluating the entire spine is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who were dealing with neck pain. Each man or woman was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with follow-up exams occurring two and four days after the treatments.
Researchers found that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that provided 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 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 surgery. 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 decreased pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic adjustments. 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 substantiate 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 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 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.
