Best Treatment for Acute and Subacute Neck Pain?

In a randomized trial, spinal manipulation and home exercise seemed superior to medication for this common condition, but patient preference should be considered.

No therapy for neck pain is known to be optimally effective. Options include medications, manipulation, massage, electrotherapy, and acupuncture. In this randomized trial, researchers compared 12 weeks of three commonly used therapies — spinal manipulation therapy (SMT), medication, and home exercise with advice (HEA) — in 272 patients with acute and subacute neck pain (of 2–12 weeks' duration). Treatments included adjunct therapies common to each modality; e.g., the SMT and medication groups also received advice about staying or becoming active, as needed. The primary outcome was the change in self-assessed pain on an 11-point scale from baseline to week 12. Secondary outcomes included 26- and 52-week outcomes assessed by questionnaire.

Pai…

Reviewing Author

Jaime Toro, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsMultiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders

Jaime Toro, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsMultiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders