New Study Shows Chiropractic Care May Be a Safer Choice for Treating Neck Pain in Older Adults

Neck pain is a common problem, especially for older adults. Many doctors recommend first attempting to treat the pain without medication–but are those alternative therapies safer? A new study led by Dr. James Whedon at Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) compared different ways to treat neck pain in older adults on Medicare. The results showed that chiropractic care might be a safer option than traditional medical care.

What Was the Motivation for This Study?

Doctors and researchers are trying to find better ways to treat pain without using medication. Pain medicines, especially strong ones, can have serious side effects and may not always be the best solution. Chiropractic adjustments—also called spinal manipulative therapy—are one way to treat neck pain, but scientists wanted to know if they were safer than regular medical care.

“Clinical practice guidelines tell doctors to use non-medication treatments first for neck pain,” said Dr. Whedon. “However, we didn’t have enough research comparing chiropractic care and regular medical care. Our study helps answer that question.”

What Did the Study Find?

The researchers looked at Medicare patients aged 65 to 99 who had a new episode of neck pain. They compared three groups:

1. People who went to a chiropractor for spinal adjustments.
2. People who went to a medical doctor but did not take prescription pain medicine.
3. People who went to a medical doctor and did take prescription pain medicine.

Study Results:

• Compared to regular medical care, chiropractic care led to a 14% lower risk of adverse events (overdoses and other complications that may result from use of medications).
• People who took prescription pain medicine had an 8% higher risk of adverse events.
• Overall, people who had chiropractic adjustments were less likely to experience adverse events.

“These results suggest that patients who first received chiropractic care were less likely to have complications,” Dr. Whedon explained. “This is an important finding because it supports the idea that non-medication treatments can be safer.”

One surprising discovery was how few Medicare patients were given prescription pain medicine at the start of treatment. “We expected to see more pain medication use,” said Dr. Whedon. “But only 8% of patients in our study were prescribed medication first, which means doctors may already be following the advice to use non-drug treatments first.”

Why Does This Matter?

For patients, this study suggests that going to a chiropractor might be a safer choice for treating neck pain. It could help them feel better without the risks that come with taking pain medicine.

For doctors, the study suggests that referring Medicare patients to chiropractors first could be a better way to manage neck pain. “In many cases, chiropractic care may be safer than medical care for older Medicare beneficiaries with neck pain,” said Dr. Whedon. “Healthcare providers should consider referring these patients to a chiropractic physician.”

This study also supports new laws that could make it easier for Medicare to cover chiropractic care. “Our findings provide evidence that supports legislation currently before Congress,” Dr. Whedon said. “If passed, this law would reduce unnecessary restrictions on chiropractic care under Medicare.”

What’s Next?

Dr. Whedon and his team plan to continue studying non-medication treatments for spinal pain. “We are working on a proposal for funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH),” he said. “Our goal is to study the quality of different types of non-medication care for Medicare patients with spinal pain.”

Conclusion

This study adds to growing evidence that non-medication treatments like chiropractic care can help people manage pain safely. Visit the SCU Clinical and Health Research website to learn more about current or completed research.