When it comes to neck pain the best medicine is chiropractic adjustments, according to a medical study published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The study followed the progress of 272 patients with recent neck pain who were treated using three different methods:
Medication
Exercise
Chiropractic
The new study is one of the few head-to-head comparisons of various treatments for neck pain, a problem that affects three quarters of the population at some point in their lives.
One group was assigned to take common pain relievers like acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol). In some cases stronger drugs like narcotics and muscle relaxants were also added.
A second group was instructed on simple, gentle exercises for the neck that they could do at home. They were encouraged to do 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise up to eight times a day. Recommended exercises included “neck retraction, extension, flexion, rotation, lateral bending motions, and scapular retraction, with no resistance.” Participants received a booklet and laminated cards of prescribed exercises, and were advised to perform 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise six to eight times daily.
The third was assigned to visit a chiropractor for roughly 20-minute sessions throughout the course of the study, making an average of 15 visits. According to the study, six chiropractors, each with at least five years’ experience, provided treatment, with the specific spinal level to be treated and the number of treatments rendered left to the discretion of the individual chiropractor.
The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced the highest rate of success with 32 per cent saying they were pain free, compared with 30 per cent of those who exercised. Only 13 per cent of patients treated with medication said they no longer experienced pain.
“Even a year later, there were differences between the spinal manipulation and medication group,” said Dr. Gert Bronfort, an author of the study and research professor at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Minnesota. “These changes were diminished over time, but they were still present.”
Moderate and acute neck pain is one of the most common reasons people make the trip to their doctor, prompting millions of visits every year. For patients, it can be a difficult problem to determine how best to treat their neck pain. In some cases the pain and stiffness crop up without warning, and treatment options are varied. Chiropractic, physical therapy, and pain medication are popular options, but Dr. Bronfort was inspired to carry out an analysis because so little research exists comparing the effectiveness of each.
The study also found another worrying fact. Despite experiencing limited pain relief, people in the drug group continued using a higher amount of medication more frequently throughout the follow-up period. Dr. Bronfort said, “If you’re taking medication over a long time, then we’re running into more systemic side effects like gastrointestinal problems”.
Aside from gastrointestinal problems such as kidney damage and internal bleeding from ulceration, a recent study in the British Medical Journal linked common pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication to more serious consequences. That study found a strong correlation with the use of these medications and myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death.
This finding underscores concerns raised in an April 2011 government report that indicated prescription drug abuse in the US has reached crisis level.
“Doctors of chiropractic have long cautioned against the overuse of medication to treat musculoskeletal pain,” said American Chiropractic Association President Keith Overland. “We continue to promote drug-free, conservative interventions for neck pain patients before referral for medical management that may result in side effects. Patients deserve to know that there are natural, drug-free options when it comes to pain relief.”
Chiropractic patients in the Cayman Islands can attest to the findings of this study. Of course chiropractic care is not just adjustments of the spine. Most chiropractors incorporate a broad range of treatment options that include exercise, stretches, cold laser, acupuncture, muscle release and many other modalities.
Dr. Jemal Khan is a chiropractor
Related Videos
