Acupuncture and Alexander technique relieve neck pain

Acupuncture and Alexander's technique have proven effective in neck pain in an evidence-based study. They were superior to conventional primary care.

According to a recent study, acupuncture can relieve neck pain. Picture: Kzenon - fotolia

The study involved 517 people who had been suffering from neck pain for at least three months, with severity reported as at least 28% in the Northwick Park Questionnaire (NPQ). The subjects were divided into three groups. The first group received twelve 50-minute acupuncture sessions. The second group was trained in twenty 30-minute in the Alexander Technique. In the third group, the subjects were prescribed analgesics or physiotherapy.

The primary end point was the changes in the NPQ after 12 months. Secondary endpoints included patient evaluation of efficacy. In both parameters, complementary therapies were superior to conventional treatment.

Serious side effects did not occur in any of the three treatments. The effect in the acupuncture and Alexander Technique groups was detectable even after one year. The study can be found here.