Chiropractic is safe and effective for neck pain.

As a chiropractor I have always told my patients that in most case, when it comes to neck pain the best medicine is no medicine at all. Now according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine studies are now showing this it true (http://www.annals.org/content/156/1_Part_1/1.abstract?aimhp). The study, was funded by the National Institutes of Health, tracked 272 patients with recent neck pain. These patients were treated using three different methods medication, exercise, and chiropractic care.

After 12 weeks the patients who used a chiropractor or exercised were over twice as likely to be pain free when compared to those who used only medicine. The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced the highest rate of success with 32 percent saying they were pain free, compared to 30 percent of those who exercised. Only 13 percent of patients treated with medication said they no longer experienced pain.

As a chiropractor this does not supries me since neck pain is a mechanical problem. It makes sense that mechanical treatment such as chiropractic care and exercies work better than a medicin which is a chemical solution. The pain is not due to difficiny in anti-inflamatories. Acording to an ABC world News report Dr. John Messmer who specializes in family medicine at Penn State College of Medicine agrees. “I always prescribe exercises and/or physical therapy for neck pain,” he wrote. “I also tell patients that the exercises are the treatment and the drugs are for the symptoms.” The exercises prescribed to patients in the study were simple and designed to be performed at home with the help of instructional photos, see the exercies here (http://www.annals.org/content/suppl/2011/12/29/156.1_Part_1.1.DC1/156-1-1-supplement.pdf).

You must also keep in mind the other finding in the studie that chiropractic care was actualy mor effective than even exercise so if your Doctor only perscribes exercises and Physical theripy remind them that chiropractic is more effective and can work well with thes two treatment options. It is also important to remember that chiropractic care is not for just neck pain and back pain but a good chiropractor should be part of your health and wellness team. I will even assign exercises to go with the chiropractic care increasing the effectiveness of treatment.