– Hurwitz et al. (1996), a doctor of medicine and doctors of chiropractic from RAND and several academic institutions conducted a review of literature on treatments for neck pain. The authors found manipulation to be more effective than mobilization or physical therapy in treating some subacute or chronic neck pain and noted that “ all 3 treatments are probably superior to usual medical care” (1755).

– Several studies (Howe, Newcombe, and Wade 1983; Verhoef, Page, & Waddell 1997) have found spinal manipulation to improve neck mobility and decrease neck pain. As Verhoef, Page, and Waddell (1997) concluded, “ patients suffering from back and/or neck complaints experience chiropractic care as an effective means of resolving or ameliorating pain and functional impairments, thus reinforcing previous results showing the benefits of chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain.” – Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Verhoef et al. (1997)” (240).

References:
Hurwitz, Eric L., Peter D. Akker, Alan H. Adams, William C. Meeker, and Paul G. Shekelle. 1996. “Manipulation and Mobilization of the Cervical Spine: A Systematic Review of the Literature.” Spine 21, no. 15: 1746-1760.
Howe, D. H., R.G. Newcombe, and M. T. Wade. 1983. “Manipulation of the Cervical Spine – A Pilot Study.” Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 33: 574-579.