Neck Pain Patient Decision Aid: Step 3

This page is part of the 'Should I receive manual therapy and exercise for my neck pain?: A patient decision aid' resource for patients. Please see the main project page for further information, or proceed to Step 3 below to recognize the risks.

Each treatment option has potential side effects:

Exercise

• Mild and infrequent side effects such as short-term increases in neck, arm, head or back pain, muscle soreness, and dizziness have been reported.

Increased neck pain26

Increased neck pain26

(29 out of every 100 patients will experience a short-term increase in neck pain)

Neck mobilizations
• Mild and infrequent side effects including short-term increases in neck, arm, head, or back pain and dizziness are possible.
Increased neck pain24,25

(22 out of every 100 people will experience a short-term increase in neck pain)

Increased neurological symptoms24,25

(10 out of 100 people will experience some short-term neurological symptoms [pins and needles sensation, weakness, or numbness])

Neck manipulations
• Mild and infrequent side effects including short-term increases in neck, arm, head, or back pain and dizziness are possible
Increased neck pain24-26

(22 to 41 out of 100 people experience a short-term increase in neck pain)

Increased neurological symptoms24,25

(19 out of every 100 people experience short-term neurological symptoms)

• Very rare, but serious or catastrophic side effects such as unbearable symptoms or stroke have also been reported.
o Unbearable symptoms26
(Approximately 1 out of every 10 000 experience ‘unbearably severe side effects’)
o Stroke or death24,26
(It is difficult to determine the frequency of these adverse event due to the small number of participants in each study, but it is likely much less than 1/10 000)

 
Upper back manipulations
• Mild and infrequent side effects including short-term increases in neck, arm, head, or back pain and dizziness are possible
Increased pain24

(21 out of every 100 patients experience a short-term increase in pain)