Natural treatments for neck pain

• DEFINITION: Treatment of soft-tissue pain of the neck.
• PRINCIPAL PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: None
• OTHER PROPOSED NATURAL TREATMENTS: Acupuncture, biofeedback, boswellia, butterbur, chiropractic, chondroitin, ginger, glucosamine, hypnosis, massage, osteopathic manipulation, prolotherapy, proteolytic enzymes, relaxation therapies, turmeric, white willow

Introduction

Neck pain is a common condition. In many cases, X-rays do not show anything wrong with the neck, suggesting that the problem is a relatively subtle one involving soft tissues. (Conversely, X-rays of people without neck pain often show arthritis; this suggests that even when positive X-ray results are found in people with neck pain, they may be unrelated.) Subtle or not in origin, the discomfort of neck pain can be severe and can lead to real disability.

The cause of soft-tissue neck pain is not known. Symptoms may follow a whiplash injury or simply arise, apparently, from bad posture or chronic tension. It is unclear that any conventional medicine intervention for neck pain or whiplash speeds recovery or produces any other long-term benefit.

Another, more recent contribution to mild, chronic neck pain is colloquially known as "tech neck" or "text neck," which results from continued and prolonged use of technology causing poor posture and neck pain. In the late twentieth and twenty-first centuries, as the general workforce became more sedentary and the use of computers and phones for work became more prevalent, medical professionals found a rise in patients with chronic neck issues. One study published in 2022 found that 73 percent of university students and 65 percent of people who work from home have neck or back pain. Individuals who use screens for prolonged periods of time can experience forward head posture (FHP), which is a postural distortion pattern where the neck and head protrude forward toward the screen in an unnatural manner. Not only can FHP lead to neck and back pain, but it can also change a person's posture permanently.

Proposed Natural Treatments

Although several alternative treatments for neck pain have shown promise, none has been scientifically substantiated.

Acupuncture. A 2006 review of the literature found ten controlled studies of acupuncture for chronic neck pain. The pooled results suggest that acupuncture may be more effective than fake acupuncture, at least in the short term. However, overall, the study quality was fairly low.

In a study of 177 people with chronic neck pain, fake acupuncture proved more effective than massage. In a pilot study, ten weeks of acupuncture combined with physical therapy appeared to be more effective than either acupuncture or physical therapy alone for chronic neck pain, at least over the short term. The most likely explanation for these contradictory reports is that acupuncture’s effect on neck pain, if any, is fairly modest.

Later studies yielded more positive results. A 2020 study found moderate evidence to support the use of acupuncture for neck pain. The study included six controlled trials. Participants in all trials except for placebo groups reported a reduction in neck pain. However, the researchers indicated that they had difficulty to know how much of the treatment relieved pain and that some of the studies were inconsistent in reporting results. Cited systematic reviews in 2021 found that acupuncture as well as other complementary therapies such as cupping and dry needling seemed to help patients suffering from neck pain.

Chiropractic. Millions of people report that chiropractic spinal manipulation has relieved their neck pain, but there is little scientific evidence supporting the use of spinal manipulation for this purpose. Most studies have found manipulation (with or without related therapies, such as mobilization or massage) to be no more effective than placebo or no treatment. A 2021 study found that spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) in combination with exercise for neck pain to be effective. However, researchers concluded that future research is needed to provide further information about these effects.

Other treatments. Osteopathic manipulation, a form of treatment often compared to chiropractic, is widely believed to help neck pain, but there is no meaningful scientific evidence to support its use for this condition. Many people with neck pain use massage therapy for relief, but again, scientific support is lacking, and one study found fake laser acupuncture more effective than massage for neck pain. A treatment called prolotherapy, and the herb white willow, have shown promise for back pain and might also be useful for neck pain. In one study, an ambitious holistic treatment regimen for neck pain (including craniosacral osteopathy, Rosen bodywork, and Gestalt psychotherapy) failed to prove more effective than no treatment.

Other herbs and supplements sometimes recommended for neck pain, either on the basis of their use for related conditions or because of their known medical properties, include boswellia, butterbur, chondroitin, ginger, glucosamine, proteolytic enzymes, and turmeric.

Qigong is an ancient Chinese practice involving various breathing exercises and physical postures that are thought by its practitioners to enhance general health. In one study, qigong was no more effective than conventional physical therapy exercise techniques in the treatment of chronic, nonspecific neck pain. Biofeedback, hypnosis, and relaxation therapies may offer help for pain in general.

In light of tech neck and FHP increases in the twenty-first century, healthcare professionals suggest stretching and physical activity to help alleviate pain and discomfort and to avoid distortion. They also suggest monitoring personal posture, especially among children and adolescents, whose bodies are still changing and forming.

Bibliography

Franca, D. L., et al. “Tension Neck Syndrome Treated by Acupuncture Combined with Physiotherapy.” Complementary Therapies in Medicine 16 (2008): 268-277.

Gevers-Montoro, Carlos, et al. "Clinical Effectiveness and Efficacy of Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation for Spine Pain." Frontiers in Pain Research, 25 Oct. 2021, doi.org/10.3389/fpain.2021.765921. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.

Haneline, M. T. “Chiropractic Manipulation and Acute Neck Pain.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 28 (2005): 520-525.

Lansinger, B., et al. “Qigong and Exercise Therapy in Patients with Long-Term Neck Pain.” Spine 32 (2007): 2415-2422.

Martinez-Segura, R., et al. “Immediate Effects on Neck Pain and Active Range of Motion After a Single Cervical High-Velocity Low-Amplitude Manipulation in Subjects Presenting with Mechanical Neck Pain.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 29 (2006): 511-517.

Sarig-Bahat, H. “Evidence for Exercise Therapy in Mechanical Neck Disorders.” Manual Therapy 8 (2003): 10-20.

“Tech Neck: Effect of Technology.” Mayo Clinic Health System, 10 Apr. 2024, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/effect-of-technology-on-your-neck. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.

Trinh, K., et al. “Acupuncture for Neck Disorders.” Spine 32 (2007): 236-243. Tsantili, Regina, et al. "Text Neck Syndrome: Disentangling a New Epidemic." Acta Medica Academica, vol. 51, no. 2, 2022, pp. 123-127, doi.org/10.5644/ama2006-124.380. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.

Villines, Zawn. "Can Acupuncture Help Neck Pain?" Medical News Today, 31 May 2022, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/acupuncture-for-neck-pain. Accessed 27 Sept. 2024.