Acupuncture does not "cure" neck pain, and relief appears to last only a few weeks or months. Patients may thus need periodic booster treatments, says lead study author Kien Trinh, M.D., of McMaster University in Canada.
The massage review concludes, "Due to the limitations of existing studies, we are unable to make any firm statement to guide clinical practice."Bodhi Haraldsson, a registered massage therapist in British Columbia, Canada, led the study team.
The two studies are part of a series designed to summarize the most current scientific evidence on treatments for neck pain due to "mechanical"problems such as whiplash and muscle strains. Such injuries are common, disabling and costly.
Ten percent of males and 17 percent of females report neck pain that lasts longer than six months, according to a study cited in the massage review. Both new reviews excluded patients with neck pain caused by major illnesses or injuries such as viral infections or fractures.
