Migralex Blog

Neck pain is best treated with exercise

About three out of four people have neck pain at some time in their lives. A large study funded by the National Institutes of Health compared chiropractic manipulation, neck exercise, and medications in the treatment of 272 people with neck pain. The duration of neck pain was between 2 and 12 weeks prior to the start of the study. A third of patients was given spinal manipulation by chiropractors, a third was given instructions on daily neck exercises and another third was given pain and muscle relaxing drugs. The first two groups did equally well, while the outcome in the drug group was worse. After 12 weeks of treatment 30% of manipulation and exercise group were completely pain free, while only 13% of the medication group was pain free. Even a year later the first two groups continued to do better than the group that took medications. Clearly, exercise is a safer, cheaper, and less time-consuming option compared with chiropractic manipulation. Unlike manipulation of the lower back, manipulation of the neck carries a very small but not negligible risk of complications, such as strokes. One of the exercises used in the study is described as moving your head back while tucking in your chin (resembling what a chicken does while walking) and repeating this exercise several times every day. Stretching and circular movements by each shoulder, and particularly strengthening isometric neck exercise are very useful. Isometric neck exercise consist of pressing with your own hand against the head on either side above the ear, then pressing against the forehead and then with clasped hands against the back of the head, while the head remains stationary. The pressure is exerted for ten seconds in each direction, but the exercise needs to be repeated as many times every day as possible. Improvement usually occurs within two weeks. If you stop exercising, neck muscles weaken and the pain may return, especially if you are under stress, hold the phone on your shoulder, or carry a heavy bag on the shoulder.

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