Randomized Controlled Trial of Chiropractic Manipulation Versus Medical Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00429624

Enrollment

Registered

2007-02-01

Start date

1994-09-30

Completion date

2007-01-31

Last updated

2013-02-05

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Keywords

Neck Pain, Chiropractic manipulation, Randomized controlled trial

Brief summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether chiropractic manipulation or medical therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic neck pain.

Detailed description

Neck pain is a common complaint, approximately 10% of the population have neck pain. Many modalities are used to treat neck pain, but no therapy has been found to be clearly superior. We conducted a randomized controlled study of chiropractic manipulation versus medical therapy for chronic neck pain. Subjects (n=70) with neck pain for more than 3 months but with no evidence of radiculopathy or myelopathy were randomized. Both groups were instructed to do neck exercises and use heat daily. The chiropractic group received 12 standardized manipulations over 6 weeks. Nurses saw the medical group on the same visit schedule and received acetaminophen 1,000 milligrams four times a day as needed. Blinded observer performed all measurements. The primary outcome measure was the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Secondary measures were pain via a visual analogue scale, global via Medical Outcome Study Short Form and range of motion via Cybex electronic inclinometer.

Interventions

PROCEDUREChiropractic manipulation

DRUGacetaminophen

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 70 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Neck pain for more than 3 months

Exclusion criteria

* Cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy * Contraindications to cervical manipulation: metastatic cancer, coagulation disorder, cervical spine abnormalities, neuromuscular disease * Medical contraindications: uncontrolled hypertension, active coronary artery disease, history of cerebral vascular disease, alcohol or drug dependency, acetaminophen allergy * Active litigation involving neck pain * Medical or Chiropractic treatment within the past 3 months

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Neck Disability Index scale 0-30, clinically significant difference is a change greater than or equal to 5	—

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026