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NECK PAIN
While neck pain may be less common than low back pain, it still affects between
38 to 50% of adults. There are a diverse number of causes for neck pain,
including whiplash, stress, overuse, poor posture, strain, sprain, spasm of the
neck muscles, infection, and arthritis. According to Statistics Canada, more and
more people are suffering from repetitive strain injuries to the neck and
shoulder, likely due to growing computer use.
Having a pain in your neck does not have to be a pain in the neck. A study by an
anaesthesiologist specializing in pain therapy at the University of Munich
compared the use of acupuncture, massage, or "sham" laser acupuncture on 177
people suffering from chronic neck pain. As stated by the author of the study,
Dominik Irnich, MD, their findings concluded that acupuncture was "more
effecting than one of the most customary treatments for chronic neck pain [that
is, massage]."1
Another study at the University of Southampton compared acupuncture to placebo
for the treatment of chronic mechanical neck pain. Researchers found acupuncture
to significantly reduce neck pain.2
"Acupuncture is safe and effective for
neck pain so it's worth trying. We need to do more big studies, but above
all else we need to understand why such a safe treatment is so effective in
the long term."
-- Dr.George Lewith,
senior research fellow at the
University of Southampton
The benefits of acupuncture can also last for years after treatment as
demonstrated by a small study that found the effects of 10 treatments for
chronic neck pain over a 3-4 week period to last 3 years. 3
Acupuncture is not the only form of TCM treatment that can help to relieve back
pain. Moxibustion, cupping, and
electroacupuncture can all be used alone or during
acupuncture treatment. In addition, there are many herbs that strengthen the
spine and reduce inflammation and pain.
1 Irnich,D., Behrens,N.,Gleditsch,J., et al. Randomised trial of acupuncture
compared with conventional massage and "sham" laser acupuncture for treatment of
chronic neck pain BMJ 2001;322:1574.
2 White,P.,PhD, Lewith,DM,FRCP, et al. Acupuncture versus Placebo for the
Treatment of Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain. Annals Int Med 2004 141: 911-919
3 He D, Veiersted KB, Hostmark AT, Medbo JI. Effect of acupuncture treatment on
chronic neck and shoulder pain in sedentary female workers: a 6-month and 3-year
follow-up study. Pain. 2004 Jun;109(3):299-307
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