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According to new research led by Gert Bronfort, vice president of research at the Wolfe-Harris Center for Clinical Studies at Northwestern Health Sciences University, physical therapy manipulation and home exercises treatments are found to be more effective in alleviating neck pain than medication. The data also reveals that the test group receiving medications for their pain fared the worst of all three groups represented in the study.

The Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, included 272 volunteers ranging in age from 18 to 65, who suffered from neck pain for 2-12 weeks. The volunteers were divided into three groups: group one receiving spinal manipulation treatment, group two receiving medication, and group three receiving home exercise advice. At the twelfth week, both non-medication groups reported substantially more pain relief than the medication group. 32% of group one and 30% of group 3 reported feeling 100% reduction in pain (only 13% of the medication group reported complete pain relief). Results of the study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, also reported that up to one year later, groups one and three still reported less pain compared to ones who took medication.

Even though this is a small study, the findings are significant. Evidence now exists that strongly suggests physical therapy is a viable option to medication for treating neck pain; this is exciting news for patients who suffer from what can be a debilitating condition.

Source: Greensboro, North Carolina (PRWEB) January 12, 2012