Acupuncture and Alexander Technique Help Alleviate Chronic Neck Pain

Both acupuncture and the Alexander Technique can improve chronic neck pain, according to a study in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Over 500 U.K. patients with nonspecific neck pain of at least 3 months’ duration were randomized to one of three strategies: 12 acupuncture sessions plus usual care, 20 one-to-one Alexander Technique lessons plus usual care, or usual care alone. The Alexander Technique is a method of changing how one carries out daily activities, with a focus on reducing tension through coordination, balance, posture, and spatial awareness.

At 12 months, both the acupuncture and Alexander Technique groups had significantly greater reductions in a score measuring neck pain and disability (about a 30% reduction from baseline), compared with usual care alone (23%). The pain/disability reductions with acupuncture and the Alexander Technique were considered clinically significant.