A new study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that when it comes to neck pain, the best medicine is no medicine. The study tracked patients with recent-onset neck pain who were treated using either medication, exercise, or a chiropractor. After 12 weeks, the patients who used a chiropractor or exercised were more than twice as likely to be pain free.
The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced a 32 percent success rate, while exercise resulted in a 30 percent success rate. Patients treated with medication exhibited only a 13 percent success rate.
According to ABC News:
“The exercises prescribed to patients in the study were simple and designed to be performed at home with the help of instructional photos.”