Sutipond Somnam/Shutterstock
After years of debate about whether chiropractic care actually helps neck pain, three recently published, major studies offer some of the clearest evidence yet: For people with recent neck pain, spinal adjustments can reduce discomfort by up to 40 percent within just a few weeks, especially when paired with exercise, thoughtful clinical screening, and early treatment.
With seven in 10 adults experiencing neck pain at some point, it is one of the most common reasons people seek care. Most of us have felt it: that dull ache after a long day at the computer or the sudden stiffness when we turn our head. However, the question isn’t whether your neck will hurt; rather, it’s what will actually help when it does.
What Research Shows About Neck Pain Relief
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in May found that spinal manipulative therapy, a common chiropractic technique that uses quick, precise movements to restore normal joint motion, can significantly reduce pain, improve neck movement, and ease day-to-day tasks for people with acute nonspecific neck pain. The review analyzed eight randomized controlled trials involving 965 participants, offering one of the clearest looks yet at how effective spinal manipulative therapy can be for recent-onset neck pain.
