According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more Americans suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. What's more, neck pain is the third most documented type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headache.
Of course, many patients come to our Rochester Hills, MI office looking for neck pain care, and Dr. Dalton has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart choice, as some studies have shown that over 90% of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic care.
A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 people who were suffering with neck pain. Approximately half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated to a comparison group. Both were given chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.
Data was gathered before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. The authors 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, illustrating that evaluating the entire spinal column is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.
Another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 individuals between the ages of 18 and 60 who were suffering with neck pain. Each person 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 found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that offered such positive results in the first report) "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 found the same type 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 endured neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.
The woman documented reduced pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, immediately 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 effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck discomfort and would like to find a remedy that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the help you're looking for.
Our office is in Rochester Hills, MI and Dr. Dalton can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (248) 977-7039.
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Chiropractors, often considered alternative or complementary medicine practitioners, are primary care doctors who focus on good health through proper nutrition, exercise, and other lifestyle factors. The chiropractic philosophy is based on the idea that when nerves emerging from the spinal cord are compromised (known as a subluxation), the affected individual might experience pain, disability and an overall decrease in the quality of life.