Neck pain is very common, with considerable socioeconomic consequences. Although some therapies appear promising, there are too few randomized clinical trials of sufficient quality to support the use of one therapy over another. This is especially true for acute/subacute neck pain. Although commonly treated with prescription medications, neck pain sufferers are increasingly seeking relief through complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as chiropractic spinal manipulation. Little is known, however about the short- and long-term relative efficacy of these therapies and how they compare to giving patients simple advice on self-care.

The broad, long-term objective of this research is to identify effective therapies for neck pain sufferers and to increase our understanding of neck pain conditions. This randomized, observer-blinded clinical trial is a unique collaborative effort by experienced chiropractic and medical researchers and will focus on patients with acute/subacute neck pain (<12 weeks duration). The study will determine the relative efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation, prescription medication, and self-care advice for neck pain in both the short term (after 6 weeks) and long term (after 52 weeks), using patient-rated neck pain as the main indicator of success.