The international study, conducted by Canadian, American, South American, Australasian and European researchers, revealed that alternative therapies such as acupuncture, neck manipulation and massage can be better options for treating neck pain than the existing practices.

The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders 236 page review of the current research on neck pain is published in the journal Spine.

'Neck pain is not a trivial condition for many people,' said Task Force president Dr. Scott Haldeman, clinical professor, department of neurology at the University of California, Irvine; and adjunct professor, department of epidemiology University of California Los Angeles.

'It can be associated with headaches, arm and upper back pain and depression. Whether it arises from sports injuries, car collisions, workplace issues or stress, it can be incapacitating,' he added.

The study found that neck pain was a persistent and recurrent condition for the majority of sufferers and affected their ability to carry on with daily activities.

Task Force member Dr. Linda Carroll, Associate Professor, School of Public Health at the University of Alberta, and Associated Scientist, Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research (ACICR) said that many sufferers managed to carry on with their daily activities but others find it difficult.

'For these people, the evidence shows there are a relatively small number of therapies that provide some relief for a while, but there is no one best option for everyone,' said Carroll.

'Neck pain can be a stubborn problem -- we hope this comprehensive analysis of the evidence will help both sufferers and health care providers better manage this widespread complaint,' she added.

Source-ANI
SPH/K