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The Orthodox Medical Approach
The standard medical approach to neck pain is painkillers, muscle relaxers and/or tranquilizers. If the pain doesn't subside, and orthopedic surgeon may be consulted and more drastic treatment - cortisone or other injections - may be administered. In some cases neck pillows, collars or traction may be prescribed and, interestingly enough, these constitute a tacit endorsement of the chiropractic approach of releasing pressure on the nerves, joints and foramina (openings) through which the nerves travel. But such devices, though often helpful, do not address the real cause of the problem, and some forms of traction have been criticized as damaging the meninges or membranes that enclose the spinal cord and nerves. Thus these attempts may represent a poor substitute for an actual chiropractic spinal adjustment. When should the physician resort to surgery? "As a last resort." Clearly, a patient should not consent to anything as drastic as neck surgery without first consulting another healer - in particular, a chiropractor.
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