Jerrilyn Cambron

Approximately 30 percent of the population will experience neck pain in any given year.1 Half of these cases will resolve quickly with or without treatment. However, the other 50 percent will continue experiencing pain or will have recurrent symptoms. Common scientifically based treatments for neck pain include epidural corticosteroid injections, exercise, facet joint radiofrequency denervation, muscle relaxants, and surgery.

Approximately two-thirds of the US population will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. The majority of pain is nonspecific and most likely involves a postural or mechanical cause. However, some neck pain becomes more complex, progressing to cervical radiculopathy or degenerative disc disease. Complex neck pain may be difficult to treat, but there is some evidence that massage therapy may be of benefit.

This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own. The Massage Therapy Program at the National University of Health Sciences in Lombard is still accepting applications for the fall 2020 class. (https://www.nuhs.edu/admissions/massage-therapy/) This fully-accredited, health-focused program is taught in the evening, currently is partially-online, and can be completed in three trimesters (12 months).