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Chiropractic Found to Treat Neck Pain Better Than Drugs

Recently, a new study has come out that has found that chiropractic care is better able to relieve neck pain than prescription medications. With neck pain affecting 75 percent of Americans, this research is a landmark in understanding pain management. 

To put in perspective just how prominent the neck pain epidemic is, research found that it causes millions of visits to the doctor every year, making it one of the most popular reasons to see a medical specialist.  Most patients complain of stiffness and pain in the neck area that sometimes occurs suddenly and for no reason, making it hard to pin point exactly which treatments should be used to alleviate the disorder. This lack of information has caused treatment options to be quite varied, causing doctors to recommendation different forms of care, such as beginning physical therapy routine, starting on a pain medication regiment or beginning regular chiropractic care.

Before this study, research on chiropractic care versus other treatments was very limited, but now we are seeing that neck pain sufferers who received chiropractic treatments experienced more relief than people who took over-the-counter pain medications and prescription narcotics. In the study, researchers decided to conduct a study on 272 participants with neck pain, in order to finally determine which course of action worked best. The patients were put into three different groups. One group saw a chiropractor 15 times for 20-minute sessions during the study, while the second group was asked to take pain relievers and the third was asked to conduct at-home neck exercises.

After about three months, it was obvious that the participants who did not take medication were doing much better than those who had. The chiropractic group had the most success, with 57 percent of the people reporting at minimum a 75 percent pain reduction. In the medication group, only 33 percent of people reported feeling relief. It was also reported that those who relied on drugs to feel better ended up taking the meds more and more frequently, as well as taking higher doses for up to a year after the study was completed. These findings, published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, further reported that even a year later there were differences in pain levels between the group who received chiropractic compared to the participants who took medication.

In addition to feeling better, it was also found that most patients who received the chiropractic treatments felt a better sense of control over their chronic pain. Many participants felt empowered knowing they could actively do something that would give them pain relief, as opposed to just popping a pill and hoping for the best. Doctors found it important that patients have as much control in their care as possible, since it can lead to an overall better outlook on their disability.

If you are suffering from chronic neck pain you may want to consider chiropractic as a regular source of treatment. You may find that not only might your neck feel better, but you may also experience other positive changes in your body from the treatments. Since chiropractic is a low-risk treatment, it is a popular form of care for all age groups.

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Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Tim Gillin

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