Chronic neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders, with up to half of adults experiencing it in a given year, and it accounts for as much as 4% of all visits to healthcare providers. The most common classification is non-specific neck pain, meaning the condition arises from musculoskeletal strain or dysfunction in the neck region without a clearly identifiable medical pathology such as fracture, infection, tumor, or inflammatory disease. Because the exact pain generator is often difficult to determine, treatment focuses instead on restoring normal motion to the cervical spine using a multimodal approach.

The mainstay of chiropractic treatment for neck pain and other musculoskeletal disorders is manual therapy, delivered either hands-on or with the assistance of instruments. The most common technique is spinal manipulation, also called spinal manipulative therapy, which involves high-velocity, low-amplitude movements applied at the end of a joint’s range of motion to restore mobility, reduce pain through neuromechanical effects, and normalize function of the spine and surrounding tissues. Other forms of manual therapies may also be used, such as mobilization (slower, gentler movements within the range of motion), myofascial therapy (sustained pressure or stretching to release restrictions in connective tissue), and trigger point therapy (direct, focused pressure to relieve taut muscle bands). All share the goal of restoring normal movement and reducing pain.

Exercise is another key component of managing neck pain, both to relieve current symptoms and to reduce the risk of recurrence. Neck pain often relates to poor posture that places excess strain on some muscles while deconditioning others. For instance, forward head posture shifts the head in front of the shoulders, forcing posterior neck muscles to overwork while anterior neck muscles weaken. To address these imbalances and other deficits, patients may be prescribed range-of-motion drills, stretching, strengthening, postural retraining, and proprioceptive exercises.

Additional treatment strategies may be incorporated depending on the patient’s needs and preferences, the provider’s clinical training, and examination findings. These may include ergonomic advice, physiotherapy modalities, ice/heat, dietary modifications, and nutritional supplementation. Multimodal approaches are well supported in the literature, consistently providing better outcomes than any single therapy alone. When needed, chiropractors may co-manage care with other healthcare providers, always with the goal of reducing pain, improving function, and helping patients return to normal activities as quickly as possible.