Wellness Wednesday

I recently read an interesting article in the New York Times regarding a study talking about the benefits of chiropractic care and exercise for neck pain.  The study found that chiropractic care or simple at home exercises were better at reducing pain than taking medicine such as aspirin, ibuprofen or narcotics. 

Moderate and acute neck pain is one of the most frequent reasons people visit their primary care provider.  I'm sure we've all had our fair share of neck/back pain (I know I have).  For some people, it can be difficult to figure out what is causing the pain - stress, posture, nutrition, anatomical structure, injury, etc...and the options for treating the pain are varied.  Spinal manipulation, physical therapy, medication...little research exists as to what treatment works best for people, so one Dr. decided to conduct a study.

To make a long story short - the study followed three groups of people - one group received chiropractic care, one group received instructions on home exercises and another group was given medication.  Over time, results showed the groups that received chiropractic care and those that did home exercises reported a 75% reduction in pain compared to 33% pain reduction in the medication group.

In addition to the limited pain relief, the people in the medication group kept taking the medicine - sometimes increasing the dose or strength.  The Dr. who conducted the study is quoted saying, "If you're taking medication over a long time, then we're running into more systemic side effects like gastrointestinal problems."  Unfortunately this can lead to more doctors prescribing more medications.  Before you know it, you're taking medication for the side effect of another medication.  This Dr. also expressed concern that those on medication were not as empowered or active in their own care as those in the other groups.  It's important for people to feel like they have as much control over their own health as possible.

My experience
Last fall, I finally decided to address my lower back pain.  I couldn't sit in class for extended periods of time because my back would start to hurt.  I also couldn't stand for extended periods of time for the same reason (just ask Tim how miserable I was on our honeymoon while we were standing at a museum and my back was killing me!).  I started seeing a chiropractic intern at my school's clinic a few times a week, where I received manipulations, heat and soft tissue massage, and I was given exercises to do at home.  I also started exercising on a more regular basis.  My pain is almost completely resolved.  As the trimester went on, I noticed I wasn't getting so uncomfortable while I was sitting during lectures.  Overall I feel so much better.

Here is the link to the article titled For Neck Pain, Chiropractic and Exercise Are Better Than Drugs.  If the thought of going to see a chiropractor makes you nervous (I know people who feel this way) always ask around or check out review sites such as Yelp to find a good chiropractor - you know, like you would when looking for any kind of health care provider!