Neck adjustments are a specialized component of chiropractic care that focus on correcting spinal misalignments and relieving neck pain. They are very safe and have many benefits.
However, there are some common misconceptions about chiropractor neck adjustments. Specifically, people often think they involve cracking the neck violently. It’s important to understand that this is not accurate.
It’s Safe
Manual manipulation of the cervical spine, or neck, is a common chiropractic procedure that helps to improve spinal alignment and alleviate pain and stiffness. When performed by a qualified chiropractor, neck manipulation is safe and effective.
A neck adjustment often involves the use of hands or a specialized table to rotate or thrust your neck to pop a misaligned joint back into place. This may cause a popping sound, which is the result of fluid in the joints escaping and creating bubbles, similar to the cracking noise you might hear when opening a can of soda.
These bubbles release pressure and decrease the friction between joints, making them feel better and reducing pain and stiffness. It is important that you visit a licensed and trained chiropractor for all of your chiropractic needs. A reputable chiropractor will take a thorough health history and perform a physical exam to develop an effective treatment plan. They will also advise you on healthy lifestyle changes, such as exercising and eating well, to prevent future pressure or tightness in the neck.
It’s Effective
A chiropractor will manipulate the joints in your neck to realign them. This will often produce a cracking sound, which means that any pressure from a build-up of fluids in the joints is being released. This will relieve any soreness and pain that you may be experiencing.
Cervical manipulation can be done by either the chiropractor using their hands or by “dropping” a section of an adjustment table. This will involve a medium-to-high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust or non-thrust stretching of the cervical spine.
These movements cause the facet joints to stretch, which will decrease the amount of pressure on the bones in your neck. This will also create a popping noise, which is caused by the gases in the joint capsules releasing. This is not harmful, but you should consult a health care practitioner if you experience numbness or weakness in your arm or hand after a chiropractic treatment. These symptoms could indicate a vertebral artery dissection, a condition that can lead to stroke.
It’s Not Painful
One concern that many people have when thinking about getting a neck adjustment is that it will hurt. However, chiropractic adjustments are not painful when they are done by a qualified professional.
When your chiropractor performs cervical manipulation, they will move your head and neck to create a physical rotation/stretch or an instrument-assisted movement that adjusts the alignment of your upper cervical spine. Cervical manipulation has been shown to relieve neck muscle tension and headaches and is a great alternative to surgery and pharmaceuticals.
You may hear a cracking sound with your spinal manipulation, but this is not painful. This cracking noise is a release of pressure that builds up in the joints. It is the same feeling you might get after a vigorous exercise. This soreness is normal and eases over a day or two as your muscles activate and are used to the new position.
It’s Not Crunching
During chiropractic neck adjustment, the chiropractor manually manipulates the facet joints located in the cervical spine (neck). Occasionally this manual manipulation produces an audible popping sound. This sound is a result of gas bubbles in the joint fluid being released during an adjustment. This process is known as cavitation and it’s not harmful.
This cracking sound can be unnerving, especially for first-time patients. A good chiropractor will take the time to explain what’s happening during an adjustment and set their patients’ minds at ease.
Many people avoid spinal adjustments because they’re afraid of the potential for neck cracking, but that doesn’t have to be the case. As long as the chiropractor uses proper technique and does not focus on high-velocity adjustments, the popping sounds during spinal manipulation are normal and do not have any effect on short or long-term therapeutic results.back adjustment
