Neck Pain Patients Prefer Acupuncture To Injections

Main Category: Pain / Anesthetics
Also Included In: Bones / Orthopaedics
Article Date: 10 Apr 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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For neck pain sufferers, acupuncture may be a better treatment option than spinal injections, according to a recent SpineUniverse survey. 43.6% of acupuncture patients were satisfied or even very satisfied with their treatment. Only 41.3% of injection therapy patients reported satisfaction with the treatment.

That's shocking news for patients and medical companies alike: after billions of dollars of pharmacological research on injection medication, acupuncture--a traditional Chinese art of healing--seems to make patients happier and feel less pain.

Traditionally, people from Western societies have been wary of acupuncture. There isn't much conclusive scientific research into it or other alternative treatments. However, in recent years, it's gained more widespread acceptance in the medical community, and for people with neck pain, especially chronic neck pain, acupuncture may be a worthwhile treatment option--as this survey shows.

"Acupuncture is a safe treatment option for neck pain, and when done properly by a licensed acupuncturist, it can provide much-needed pain relief," says Laurie Morse, LAc, MTOM (Licensed Acupuncturist, Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine). "Many people worry about all the needles, but they're actually much thinner (almost hair thin) than injection needles. Additionally, you can't possibly have a reaction to medication because no medication is used in acupuncture."

SpineUniverse asked people visiting its website, http://www.spineuniverse.com, to rate their satisfaction with a range of neck pain treatment options. The list included traditional non-surgical options, such as physical therapy and prescription pain medications, but it also had alternative treatments, such as acupuncture and herbal remedies. Surgery was also listed as a treatment option, although less than 5% of neck pain patients will need surgery. In the survey, surgery was rated as the third best treatment option.

Go to here to read more about how neck pain patients compared acupuncture and injections.

About SpineUniverse

SpineUniverse, the most-visited spine-focused site on the web, provides online and offline resources for both patients and spine professionals. SpineUniverse.com helps patients and their families understand their back or neck problems with clear, straightforward explanations about what causes spinal problems and how they can be treated. SpineUniverse.com/professional features an industry-leading library of patient case studies and education resources. Relying on an 80 member Editorial Board of leading spine experts, SpineUniverse ensures that all information presented is trustworthy and of the highest quality.

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