Chiropractic, Medication, and Self-Care for Acute Neck Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial   Sponsor     Health Services Research Administration (HRSA)   Principal Investigator     Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD, Northwestern Health Sciences University   Berman Center Co-investigators     Co-investigator: Richard Grimm, MD, MPH , PhD   Description     This randomized, observer-blinded clinical trial compares the relative efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation, prescription medication, and self-care advice for recent-onset neck pain. Efficacy is compared in the short term (after 6 weeks) and long term (after 52 weeks), using patient ratings as the main outcome measure.   Role of the Berman Center     Berman Center investigators serve on the study’s Steering Committee and provide advice on recruitment and data management strategies.   Basic enrollment information     Participants must be at least 18 years old. Neck pain must have started less than 12 weeks from the enrollment date.   Abstract     Neck pain is very common and has considerable socioeconomic consequences. Despite the public health impact, management of neck pain conditions has been inadequately researched. Systematic reviews have concluded that although some therapies appear promising, there are too few randomized clinical trials of sufficient quality to support the use of one therapy over another. This is especially true for acute/subacute neck pain. Although commonly treated with prescription medications, neck pain sufferers are increasingly seeking relief through complementary and alternative medicine therapies, such as chiropractic spinal manipulation. Little is known, however, about the short- and long-term relative efficacy of these therapies and how they compare to giving patients simple advice on self-care.     The broad, long-term objective of this research is to identify effective therapies for recent-onset neck pain (<12 weeks) and to increase understanding of neck pain conditions. Relative efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation, prescription medication, and self-care advice will be compared after 6 and 52 weeks. The comparison will include measurement of patient-rated pain (primary outcome), patient-rated disability, general health improvement, satisfaction with care, fear avoidance, over-the-counter medication use, and cervical spine motion performance measured by examiners blinded to treatment group.