Alternative medicine is treated as a bit of a joke in the world of western medicine. But one new study is now showing that people who get treated with acupuncture have the right idea.
This study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that both acupuncture and the Alexander Technique were more effective for treating neck pain than the traditional combination of physical therapy and exercise.
Acupuncture is the practice of needle insertion for pain relief, and the Alexander Technique is a method that helps people avoid unnecessary muscle tension throughout the day. It focuses on posture, balance, coordination, and stress.
Researchers wanted to know how well each of these really worked, so they tested both. 517 people, all sufferers of chronic neck pain, were given the standard treatment for physical therapy (pain medications and physical therapy). Then some were given one of two treatments—either 12 acupuncture sessions or 20 Alexander Technique lessons.
After a year of this, they found that those who took part in either of these alternative therapies reduced their pain significantly in comparison to people who received normal care. The patients with no alternative care reported a 9% decrease in pain, where those who participated in alternative techniques saw a 32% decrease in pain.
This is just added evidence to suggest the real effectiveness of acupuncture. Another recent study found that among 18,000 people, acupuncture was more effective than standard care and sham acupuncture.
This is because you get pain relief and anti-inflammatory results from acupuncture, which you don’t get from traditional care.
So if you’ve been thinking about alternative medicine for your neck pain, now may be the time.
