What are natural treatments for neck pain?

Introduction

Neck pain is a common condition. In many cases, X rays do not show anything wrong
with the neck, suggesting that the problem is a relatively subtle one involving
soft tissues. (Conversely, X rays of people without neck pain often show
arthritis; this suggests that even when positive X-ray results are found in people
with neck pain, they may be unrelated.) Subtle or not in origin, the discomfort of
neck pain can be severe and can lead to real disability.

The cause of soft-tissue neck pain is not known. Symptoms may follow a
whiplash injury or simply arise, apparently, from bad
posture or chronic tension. It is unclear that any conventional medicine
intervention for neck pain or whiplash speeds recovery or produces any other
long-term benefit.

Proposed Natural Treatments

Although several alternative treatments for neck pain have shown promise, none has been scientifically substantiated.

Acupuncture. A 2006 review of the literature found ten controlled
studies of acupuncture for chronic neck pain. The pooled results
suggest that acupuncture may be more effective than fake acupuncture, at least in
the short term. However, overall, the study quality was fairly low.

In a study of 177 people with chronic neck pain, fake acupuncture proved more
effective than massage. In a pilot study, ten weeks of acupuncture combined
with physical
therapy appeared to be more effective than either acupuncture
or physical therapy alone for chronic neck pain, at least over the short term. The
most likely explanation for these contradictory reports is that acupuncture’s
effect on neck pain, if any, is fairly modest.

Chiropractic. Millions of people report that chiropractic
spinal manipulation has relieved their neck pain, but there is little scientific
evidence supporting the use of spinal manipulation for this purpose. Most studies
have found manipulation (with or without related therapies, such as mobilization
or massage) to be no more effective than placebo or no treatment. One large study
(almost two hundred participants) found that a special exercise program called
MedX was more effective than chiropractic spinal manipulation. However, a study
that was reported in 2006 found that a single high-velocity, low-amplitude (that
is, chiropractic-style) manipulation of the neck was more effective than a single
mobilization procedure in improving range of motion and pain.

Other treatments. Osteopathic manipulation, a form of
treatment often compared to chiropractic, is widely believed to help neck pain,
but there is no meaningful scientific evidence to support its use for this
condition. Many people with neck pain use massage therapy for relief, but again,
scientific support is lacking, and one study found fake laser acupuncture more
effective than massage for neck pain. A treatment called prolotherapy,
and the herb white willow, have shown promise for back pain and might
also be useful for neck pain. In one study, an ambitious holistic treatment
regimen for neck pain (including craniosacral osteopathy, Rosen bodywork, and
Gestalt psychotherapy) failed to prove more effective than no treatment.

Other herbs and supplements sometimes recommended for neck pain, either on the basis of their use for related conditions or because of their known medical properties, include boswellia, butterbur, chondroitin, ginger, glucosamine, proteolytic enzymes, and turmeric.

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice involving various
breathing exercises and physical postures that are thought by its practitioners to
enhance general health. In one study, qigong was no more effective than
conventional physical therapy exercise techniques in the treatment of chronic,
nonspecific neck pain. Biofeedback, hypnosis, and relaxation therapies may offer
help for pain in general.

Bibliography

Franca, D. L., et al. “Tension Neck Syndrome Treated by Acupuncture Combined with Physiotherapy.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine 16 (2008): 268-277.

Haneline, M. T. “Chiropractic Manipulation and Acute Neck Pain.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 28 (2005): 520-525.

Lansinger, B., et al. “Qigong and Exercise Therapy in Patients with Long-Term Neck Pain.” Spine 32 (2007): 2415-2422.

Martinez-Segura, R., et al. “Immediate Effects on Neck Pain and Active Range of Motion After a Single Cervical High-Velocity Low-Amplitude Manipulation in Subjects Presenting with Mechanical Neck Pain.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 29 (2006): 511-517.

Sarig-Bahat, H. “Evidence for Exercise Therapy in Mechanical Neck Disorders.” Manual Therapy 8 (2003): 10-20.

Trinh, K., et al. “Acupuncture for Neck Disorders.” Spine 32 (2007): 236-243.