A study published in the Jan. 3, 2012 issue of the research journal Annals of Internal Medicine suggests chiropractic spinal manipulation is more effective than over-the-counter and prescription medication for relieving acute neck pain.Spinal manipulative therapy was more effective than medication in both the short and long term.

The study involved 272 adults ages 18-65 with neck pain of two to 12 weeks' duration. Spinal manipulation was provided courtesy of a doctor of chiropractic.Instead of chiropractic care, some patients in the study group received medication as monitored by a licensed medical physician. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen (aspirin), or both served as the first line of pharmacological therapy. With patients who did not respond to or could not tolerate these drugs, narcotic medications and muscle relaxants were prescribed.

"Participants who received medication seemed to fare worse, with a consistently higher use of pain medications for neck pain throughout the trial's observational period," said the study authors. In other words, chiropractic was a much better choice than medication for neck pain.

Interestingly enough, a third group of patients who received home exercise advice instead of chiropractic care or medication also fared better than the medication group during the study period. That means two forms of conservative, drug-free care - both of which are commonly provided by doctors of chiropractic - were more effective than over-the-counter and/or prescription drugs.

The moral of the story? The next time you or someone you know is suffering from neck pain, don't turn to the medicine cabinet or a medical doctor; turn to your doctor of chiropractic.