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 headaches.
As a result, many people come to our Oakleigh office seeking neck pain treatment, and North Road Chiropractic has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some studies have shown that over 90% of neck pain patients improve with chiropractic care.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 men and women 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 were given chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise program, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Information was gathered before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. The authors found that 94% 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, illustrating that evaluating the entire spinal column is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were suffering with neck pain. Each individual was randomly assigned 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.
The investigators discovered that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that provided such positive results in the first report) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the patients who received the non-thrust adjustments. 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 outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This specific case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still experienced neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The woman documented reduced pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, right after the first chiropractic treatment session. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed 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 scientific studies like these that prove the advantages of chiropractic care, even if you've already attempted neck surgery 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.
Our office is in Oakleigh and North Road Chiropractic can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (03) 9579 2699.
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