Treatment of acute cervical pain--a comparative group study.

Thirty patients with acute cervical pain were randomized into 3 groups and treated with neck collar, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, or manual therapy. The improvement was rapid in all groups, but the restoration of the cervical mobility was significantly more rapid in the transcutaneous nerve stimulation group. Some of the patients with manual therapy treatment had remarkably quick symptom reduction, although this was not significantly better than the collar alone. It is concluded that transcutaneous nerve stimulation is a valuable pain reducer and gives a more rapid restoration of cervical mobility in acute cervical pain.