According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. Furthermore, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by back pain and headache.
Not surprisingly, many patients come to our North St. Louis, MO office looking for neck pain treatment, and Dr. Holland has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some research indicates that over 90 percent of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 individuals who were suffering with neck problems. Roughly 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 plan, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Information was collected before treatment began and one week post-treatment. Researchers 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, showing that looking at the entire spinal column is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were suffering with neck pain. Each man or woman 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 found that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that offered such positive results in the first report) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the patients who received the non-thrust manipulations. 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 woman who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This specific case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still endured neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The woman reported reduced pain in her neck and lower 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 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 techniques, even if you've already attempted medical procedures 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 help you're looking for.
We're located in North St. Louis, MO and Dr. Holland can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (314) 588-9100.
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