Chiropractic For Neck Pain…Does it Really Work?
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
I get asked a lot…is chiropractic for neck pain safe? Or is there a chance you could break my neck when you adjust it? I’m not denying these are legitimate questions from a nervous patient that doesn’t know what we do as chiropractors.
This is why it is very important to educate the patient on how chiropractic adjustments can increase their range of motion, decrease muscle spasm, and prevent injury.
Neck pain is a very common problem affecting up to 70% of the adult population at some point in life. Though there are specific causes of neck pain such as arising from a sports injury, a car accident or “sleeping wrong,” the vast majority of the time, no direct cause can be identified and thus the term nonspecific is applied.
There are many symptoms associated with patients complaining of neck pain and many of these symptoms can be confused with other conditions. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what neck related symptoms are most likely to respond to chiropractic manipulation before the treatment has started? This issue has been investigated with very favorable results!
The ability to predict a good response to chiropractic for neck pain treatment has been termed, “clinical prediction rules” which in general, are usually made up of combinations of things the patient says and findings from exams.
In a large study, data from about 20,000 patients receiving about 29,000 treatments, was collected and analyzed to find out what complaints responded well to chiropractic treatment. The results showed that the presence of any 4 of these 7 presenting complaints predicted an immediate improvement in 70-95% of the patients: 1. Neck pain; 2. Shoulder, arm pain; 3. Reduced neck, shoulder, arm movement; 4. Stiffness; 5. Headache; 6. Upper, mid back pain, and 7. None or one presenting symptom.
Items not associated with a favorable immediate response included “numbness, tingling upper limbs,” and “fainting, dizziness and light-headedness in 4-12% of the patients. The “take-home” message here is that was far more common to see a favorable response (70-95%) of the patients compared to an unfavorable response (4-12%), supporting the observation that most patients will respond favorably with chiropractic for neck pain.
So, what do we do as chiropractors when a patient presents with neck pain? First, after gathering preliminary information such as name, address and insurance information, a history of the presenting complaint is taken.
This consists of information including what started the neck complaint (if you know), when it started, what makes it worse, what makes it better, the quality of pain (aches, stiff, numb, etc.), the location and if there is radiating complaints, the severity (0-10 pain scale), timing (such as worse in the morning, evening, etc.), and if there have been prior episodes.
Various questionnaires are included that are scored so improvement down the road can be tracked and a past history that includes a medication list, past injuries or illnesses, family history and a systems review are standard.
The exam includes vital signs (BP, pulse, height, weight, temperature and respiration), palpation, range of motion, orthopedic and neurological examination. X-ray and/or other “special tests” may also be included, when needed. A review of all the findings are discussed and after permission to treat is granted, a chiropractic adjustment may then be rendered. A list of chiropractic for neck pain treatment options may include:
- Adjustments;
- Soft tissue therapy (trigger point stimulation, myofascial release);
- Physical therapy modalities;
- Posture correction exercises and other exercises/home self-administered therapies;
- Education about job modifications;
- Co-management with other health care providers if/when needed.
A combination of a few things in this list is the most common…for example a chiropractic adjustment combined with soft tissue therapy to help relieve muscle spasms and splinting.
When a combination is used the patient experiences the best possible outcome.
It has been proven that spinal manipulation from a chiropractor should be the first treatment option in patients with musculoskeletal pain.
Until next time…
…To Your Health and Prosperity,
Dr. Steve