According to a new study, even the most stubborn neck pain can be healed by Acupuncture.

An international study conducted by American, Canadian, Australasian, South American and European researchers has revealed that alternative therapies such as acupuncture, neck manipulation, and massage could be better alternatives for treating neck pain, rather than conventional treatments.

A review on the current research conducted on neck pain, was published in the journal ‘Spine’.

“Neck pain is not a trivial condition for most people. It is associated with headaches, arm and upper back pain and depression. Whether it is the result of sports injuries, car collisions, stress, or workplace issues, it can be incapacitating,” says Dr. Scott Haldeman, Clinical Professor, Department of Neurology, University of California.

“It was noticed during the study that neck pain was a persistent and recurring condition for majority of sufferers, and it hindered their ability to perform day-to-day activities. In such cases, evidences indicate that although there are a few therapies that could provide relief for a while, there is no best option for one and all,” reveals Dr. Linda Carroll, Associate Professor, School of Public Health, University of Alberta.

Although neck pain could be a stubborn problem, we hope the comprehensive analysis of the evidence will help both sufferers and health care providers in managing this widespread complaint in a more effective manner, Carroll concludes.
In the meanwhile, Dominik Irnich, an Anesthesiologist specialising in pain therapy at the University of Munich and the German Acupuncture Association, along with his colleagues treated 177 people suffering from chronic neck pain, with Acupuncture or Massage or Sham Laser Acupuncture treatments.

After one week and five treatments, those who received Acupuncture treatment showed greater improvement in movement associated with neck pain, than those who were treated with massage or sham laser. But the differences between the three groups were fairly small.

“If you are looking for a quick response, you probably better go for acupuncture, and if you don’t like needles, you better go in for a massage. They are effectively the same type of therapy – a pressure stimulus. Acupuncture is the intense pressure inside muscles. With massage however, you cannot get the same intensity of pressure. This appears to be an extremely effective therapy for neck pain,” concludes Irnich.

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