According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. Furthermore, neck pain is the third most documented type of pain, beat out only by back pain and headache.
Of course, a lot of people come to our Parkland, FL office seeking neck pain care, and Dr. Neil Scharf has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some studies have shown that over 90 percent of neck pain patients get relief with chiropractic care.
A study 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 received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise program, whereas the experimental group also received thoracic spine adjustments.
Data was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. Researchers 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, showing that evaluating the entire spinal column is an important 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 reported suffering with neck pain. Each man or woman was randomly allocated 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 discovered that the study participants who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that provided such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the group that received the non-thrust manipulations. 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 results after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old patient who had recently had neck surgery but still suffered with neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The patient reported decreased pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic adjustments. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still rated 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 scientific studies like these that demonstrate the advantages of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted medical procedures that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck pain 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 Parkland, FL and Dr. Neil Scharf can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (954) 227-0088.
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