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. In addition, neck pain is the third most documented type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headache.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people come to our Downtown 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 shows that over 90 percent of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 individuals who were suffering with neck problems. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were assigned to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, while the experimental group also received thoracic spine adjustments.
Information was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. Researchers found that 94% of the experimental group claimed "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the individuals who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, showing that evaluating the entire spine is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who were dealing with neck pain. Each individual was randomly allocated 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 discovered that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that offered such positive results in the first study) "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 technique offers many benefits.
One study also found the same kind of positive results 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 reported decreased 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 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 substantiate the effectiveness of chiropractic care, even if you've already attempted medical procedures that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck discomfort and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the relief you're looking for.
We're located in Downtown 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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