Treat Your Own Neck 5th Ed

I rarely write reviews. I should, just don't have/make the time. But this book changed my life after nothing else worked and I was literally minutes from surgery. I had injured my C7-T1 disk such that it was significantly herniated and pressing on the C8 nerve root. For 3 months, I went to physical therapy, slept in a chair every night in a weird position that provided some relief, and saw various pain specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, and orthopedic surgeons. When nothing helped I scheduled a keyhole laminectomy with a world-renowned neurosurgeon. At the same time, a family member who had neck issues (he is also a radiologist) urged me to try this book before getting surgery. Having had 2 lower back surgeries in the past, I was familiar with the greatly unpleasant process of recovering from spinal surgery and was willing to anything to avoid it. But I was risking permanent nerve damage by delaying much further. So I kept my surgery date and started the McKenzie Method immediately and with all my vigor as soon as the book arrived. To me, this book was worth, literally, at least 1,000 times its price (considering just the costs of surgery and physical therapy, and not including all the pain and suffering it saved me). It explains in the perfect amount of detail exactly what is happening and why, allowing the reader to understand the problem and how the exercises work to treat the problem, helping the reader visualize the cure while doing the exercises. After 2 weeks of doing the exercises, my pain had subsided considerably, but I still showed up for surgery because it was not entirely gone, and I felt that the dexterity and strength I lost in my left hand due to the nerve compression had not returned. I was in the pre-op room at the hospital, in my gown, nurses and anesthesiologist coming in and prepping. Then my surgeon walks in with a team of med students behind him, eager to observe the procedure. He runs through the series of simple tests we had done during office visits (squeeze his fingers to test strength, etc.), and then he tells me that the surgery is off. He said I had shown such great improvement in such a short amount of time that it is clearly evidence of recovery that he expected to continue without risking further nerve damage. I refer to it as the best surgery I never had, and I truly believe that I owe it to the McKenzie Method. Thank you, thank you, thank you Robin McKenzie. This was over 3 years ago. Although I made a full recovery without surgery, I have had occasional (maybe once every 6 months) minor relapses (pain in the neck and shoulder blade, sometimes a little numbness in the pinkie). Immediately upon onset of the pain, I use the exercises in the book and the pain goes away (usually within the day, but sometimes a couple of days). I have also purchased McKenzie's book for the lower back and try to follow its wisdom regularly. It, too, is very well written. I tend to be one of those readers who wants to flip to the exercises, which are in the middle-back of both books. But after reading both books multiple times, I can verify that there is great benefit to starting on page 1 and reading through. At least in my case, the explanation of the anatomy, movement, and problems was spot on, and therefore provided a calming effect. The explanation of the movement of pain during recovery while doing the exercises was equally spot on, and greatly encouraging.

I love this simple, brief book! It helped me quickly understand what likely was causing my months of chronic neck pain, and provided me with practical, simple at-home steps I could take to alleviate it. After reading the background of the author, and researching the medical soundness of his methodology through professional sources, I also felt confidence in the safety and soundness of the book’s at-home advice. So I was game to try!The suggested exercises need to be done several times each day, but they are simple and time-efficient. I followed the instructions carefully, determined to avoid the time and expense of doctor and therapy visits. Though I felt no improvement after the first few days, I faithfully continued the recommended routine, along with forcing myself to change my beloved side-sleeping position and pillow support according to book recommendations. It took about two weeks of careful adherence to the program, and pushing through my skepticism, but it finally worked! I was amazed by the final results! And thrilled to learn how to prevent future neck problems with simple maintenance routines.I have already personally recommended this book to several friends with neck issues, too. While I cannot claim it might help others as it did me, I believe it is worth the effort to try before committing to the time and expense of alternative treatment that might prove no better. For the cover price, and results I got, this book is worth its weight in gold!

Written for the layman in understandable terms. Explained the root causes of most neck pain and how to take charge of your own pain management as opposed to just having symptoms treated. Once I understood why I have pain and made a few changes in my posture and the simple exercises, I am able to go about my day without pain meds and the range of motion is almost back to normal. I like his philosophy that each individual is responsible for the consequences of poor posture and lifestyle sedentary lifestyle. Even those with jobs that require stress on cervical spine can benefit from reading this book. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is I wish he had provided a chart with the exercises. As written, I had to make my own chart to follow as it is now practical to thumb through the pages to find the proper exercises in the correct order. Otherwise I love the book and even ordered his other books about back pain as well as how to live pain free.