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 reported type of pain, beat out only by back problems and headache.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people come to our Portland office seeking neck pain treatment, and Chiropractic Healing Hands For You 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 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 program, while the experimental group also received thoracic spine adjustments.
Information was gathered before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. Researchers found that 94 percent 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 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 who reported suffering with neck pain. Each man or woman 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 adjustments.
The investigators found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that offered 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 technique offers many benefits.
Another study even found the same type of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgery. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still reported neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The patient documented decreased 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 reduced as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."
It is studies like these that prove the advantages of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted medical procedures that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck discomfort 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 Portland and Chiropractic Healing Hands For You can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (503) 771-1974.
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