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 pain and headaches.
Not surprisingly, many 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 studies have shown that over 90 percent of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic care.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 individuals who were suffering with neck pain. Approximately 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.
Data was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors 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 individuals who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, illustrating that evaluating the entire spine is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 participants 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.
Researchers 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 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 sort of positive results after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This specific 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 reduced pain in her neck and reduced 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 studies like these that prove the effectiveness of chiropractic care, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck problems and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the help 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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We have a long-standing track record or helping people get out of pain with chiropractic care. Whether you were injured last week, or have been suffering from chronic pain for years - It might only take one visit to our office in Downtown Saint Louis, MO to get you back on the path to everyday health.
