Neck Pain

Neck Pain

Neck pain (or cervicalgia) is a common problem, with two-thirds of the population having neck pain at some point in their lives.

Appearing in the March 2004 issue of the peer-reviewed Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, was a documented case study of a life changing case. The subject of the study was a previously healthy 17 year old who was involved in high school sports. On one particular occasion he was competing as a pole vaulter in a high school track meet when he had an accident in which he landed on his head from a height of 10 feet.

Immediately following the accident, the young man noticed the onset of neck pain focused at the base of his skull. In addition he started suffering from back pain, daily headaches, and migraine headaches approximately 3 times per week.  He described his pain as an unbearable everyday occurrence. Additionally, several days after the accident he began experiencing 'blackouts' which were later diagnosed as petit mal seizures. These seizures continued to increase until he was experiencing them 4 times per day.

Things continued to get worse for the young man as during the first 6 months following the accident, he started experiencing the onset of depression. He described a complete loss of appetite, extreme lethargy, a lack of concern for himself, and an extremely erratic sleep cycle that often left him awake for several days followed by periods of 14 to 18 hours of sleep.

The patient and his mother reported that he consulted with approximately 24 practitioners during this time. Prescribed medications and therapies did not alleviate or reduce symptoms. To alleviate his pain and depression, he started using illegal drugs in an attempt to make himself feel better. After becoming addicted, his parents checked him into a drug rehabilitation program, which he completed.

It was after this long and horrifying 6 year period, that this young man sought chiropractic care from the chiropractor who authored the published study. An examination was performed and it was determined that the young man was suffering due to a subluxation in the upper neck. A course of corrective adjustments was begun to correct the subluxation and reduce nerve pressure.

The results as reported in the Journal was nothing short of life changing for the young man. After 1 month of care, the patient reported an absence of seizures and manic episodes and improved sleep patterns. After 4 months of care, seizures and manic episodes remained absent and migraine headaches were reduced from 3 per week to 2 per month. After 7 months of care, the patient reported the complete absence of symptoms. And eighteen months later, the patient remains asymptomatic. Needless to say, his life was changed!

A research journal, the "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" published a study that showed high levels of patient satisfaction for those who went to chiropractors with what was classified as severe to moderate pain in either the back or neck.  A total of 369 patients were sampled who had gone to chiropractors with these problems.  These individuals were asked to complete surveys tracking all kinds of information from the type and severity of their problem to their level of satisfaction with care.

The results showed a very positive response from the study group in both the results they felt and their overall level of satisfaction with their care.  The results of the published study summed it up best;  "Based on the results of this survey, it seems that patients suffering from back and or neck complaints experience chiropractic care as an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments.  Moreover, the patients surveyed demonstrated a high degree of satisfaction with the care they received.  Numerous other studies have demonstrated that chiropractic is as effective, if not more effective than conventional medical management of such complaints."

A study published in the September 2006 issue of the scientific journal, The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT), showed that a single chiropractic adjustment helps neck pain. Although most chiropractors will recommend more than a single adjustment for their patients, this study was designed to see if one adjustment only could have an immediate effect on neck pain.

In this study 70 patients with neck pain were tested using standardized tests for neck range of motion and pain. These subjects were randomly separated into two groups. One group then received a chiropractic adjustment which the study defined as a "high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulation." While the other group received a "control mobilization procedure." The subjects in both of these groups were then re-tested 5 minutes after the procedure for range of motion and pain.

The results showed that both groups experienced improvements in both range of motion and pain when comparing the pre and post testing. However, the researchers discovered that those subjects that received the chiropractic adjustment (HVLA) had far superior results than the group that had just mobilization. Researchers also noted that it did not matter if the subject was male or female. Essentially, the group that had the chiropractic adjustment had less pain and a better range of motion when tested 5 minutes after the procedure was performed.

This study intentionally did not look at the long term effects of just a single adjustment. Most chiropractors believe that a series of adjustments are needed to create a lasting change in the spine and nervous system. However, this study does confirm that even a single specific adjustment does create an immediate positive change. This study also points out that a chiropractic adjustment is much more effective than random mobilization, such as was received by the control group in this study.

The researchers stated in their conclusion, "A single cervical high velocity-low amplitude manipulation was more effective in reducing neck pain at rest and in increasing active cervical range of motion than a control mobilization procedure in subjects suffering from mechanical neck pain."

In the September 2001 issue of the peer reviewed, "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" comes a case report study titled, "Chiropractic care of a patient with vertebral subluxations and unsuccessful surgery of the cervical spine". This was a report of a 55-year-old man who had neck pain along with radiating pain down both arms after unsuccessful cervical (neck) spine surgery.

The man's history was similar to many seen in chiropractic offices. While responding to an auto accident during an ice storm, the 55 year old highway patrolman slipped getting out of his car and fell backward, landing on his upper back and neck. After a few days he began to experience pain in his neck. Two months later he consulted a medical doctor, who referred him to a neurologist. During the neurological examination, the patient experienced a seizure that eventually led to a diagnosis of a tumor of the adrenal gland. Several weeks later, the patient had surgery to excise the tumor which resulted in temporary relief of the neck pain.

He returned to work, and 6 weeks after surgery he began to experience neck pain again, which he described as sharp, along with pain, numbness, and tingling in both arms. His condition worsened, for about 6 to 7 months, and he was was referred to a neurosurgeon. The patient eventually consented to neck surgery, and an anterior cervical diskectomy (disc removal) was performed.

When he returned to the surgeon for a postsurgery check-up and had continuing complaints, he then asked when the surgeon wanted to see him again. The reply was, “I never want to see you again. This answer was devastating for the patient, and he assumed that he was destined to live with these problems for life.

Approximately 3½ years after surgery, the patient started chiropractic care. The chiropractic care began and after receiving the first set of adjustments, the patient indicated that his ability to raise his left arm had increased by 50% and that his neck pain and arm complaints were also relieved. He was astonished and excited by the results of the care he received. Within 2 weeks of starting care he was able to fully abduct his left arm and to loop his belt to his pants. A year after the onset of chiropractic care, the patient was working on his small ranch performing various odd jobs and has, on occasion, had some problems because of over activity.

This documented and published case is not unfamiliar to chiropractors world wide. The unique aspect of this case is the fact that it was published in a peer reviewed scientific journal. The authors of the study summed this situation up with the following; "This is the first description in the indexed literature of the chiropractic care of a patient with vertebral and sacroiliac subluxations with a history of unsuccessful cervical diskectomy of the cervical spine. "In our experience, allopathic (medical) practitioners usually do not offer patients the option of chiropractic care before surgery. Perhaps more rarely is chiropractic care considered a viable option in instances of unsuccessful surgical care."It is obvious from this study that chiropractic should have been considered first.

An article published in the Journal of Orthopedic Medicine in 1999 pointed out the superiority of chiropractic care for patients suffering from long term whiplash. The authors of the article noted that a previous study had shown that 26 of 28 patients, or 93 percent, of patients with chronic whiplash benefited from chiropractic care.  In the authors own study, they interviewed 100 consecutive chiropractic referrals of patients with chronic whiplash. Their results also showed that of the 93 patients who remained in the study, 69 of them, or 74 percent, found improvement. The researchers concluded their opening comments with the statement, "The results from this study provide further evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms."