According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans 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 back problems and headaches.
Not surprisingly, a lot of people come to our North County, St. Louis, MO office looking for neck pain care, and Dr. Mark Holland has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some research indicates that over 90 percent of neck pain patients get relief with chiropractic care.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 individuals who were suffering with neck problems. Approximately half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Data was collected before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. 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 thinking about the entire spine is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who reported dealing with neck pain. Each man or woman was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the adjustments.
The investigators found 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.
Another study found the same type of positive outcomes after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgical procedure. This particular 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 patient documented decreased pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic adjustments. 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 improved as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."
It is studies like these that demonstrate the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck pain 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 North County, St. Louis, MO and Dr. Mark Holland can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (314) 867-8888.
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