Neck Pain
How acupuncture can help neck pain
Neck pain is a common problem that can affect your ability to work, move comfortably, and get on with daily life. If you are already seeing your GP, physiotherapist, or another healthcare professional, you may be curious whether acupuncture has a role alongside your existing treatment. Research suggests that acupuncture may provide short-term relief of neck pain or chronic neck pain, and some systematic reviews indicate that adding acupuncture to usual care could bring additional improvements in pain and function (Cagnie et al., 2015; Yuan et al., 2015; Seo et al., 2017; Kim et al., 2018). A large trial that followed participants for 12 months found clinically relevant reductions in neck pain when acupuncture was provided together with routine care, compared with routine care alone (MacPherson et al., 2015), and other studies have explored whether benefits may persist over time (Cerezo-Téllez et al., 2016; MacPherson et al., 2017). No serious adverse effects have been reported in the systematic reviews and trials reviewed to date (Yuan et al., 2015; Kim et al., 2018; Ho, 2017; Cerezo-Téllez et al., 2016). We always recommend keeping your doctor informed and treating acupuncture as a complement to — not a replacement for — your ongoing medical care.
Session expectations
Treatment begins with understanding what you are experiencing, how it affects daily life, and what kind of support feels appropriate for you. Care is then tailored accordingly, with attention to both symptom relief and the broader patterns surrounding the pain.
References
Cagnie, B. et al. (2015) 'Effect of dry needling and acupuncture on neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis', American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, 94(8), pp. 573–583.
Cerezo-Téllez, E. et al. (2016) 'Effectiveness of dry needling on reducing neck pain in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain: A randomized clinical trial', Pain, 157(9), pp. 1905–1917.
Ho, L.F. et al. (2017) 'Abdominal acupuncture for neck pain disability: A randomized controlled trial', PLoS One, 12(8), p. e0181360.
Kim, S. et al. (2018) 'Cupping therapy for chronic neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis', BMJ Open, 8(11), p. e021070.
MacPherson, H. et al. (2015) 'Alexander technique lessons or acupuncture sessions for persons with chronic neck pain: A randomized trial', Annals of Internal Medicine, 163(9), pp. 653–662.
MacPherson, H. et al. (2017) 'Long-term effects of acupuncture on chronic pain: A meta-analysis', Pain, 158(5), pp. 784–793.
Seo, S.Y. et al. (2017) 'Acupuncture and electroacupuncture for chronic neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis', American Journal of Chinese Medicine, 45, pp. 1573–1595.
van der Velde, G. et al. (2016) 'Which interventions are cost-effective in the management of whiplash-associated and neck pain-associated disorders?', Spine Journal, 16(11), pp. 1582–1597.
Willich, S.N. et al. (2006) 'Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture treatment in patients with chronic neck pain', Pain, 125(1–2), pp. 107–113.
Yuan, Q.L. et al. (2015) 'Effectiveness of acupuncture for neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis', PLoS One, 10(2), p. e0117146.