“Should a chiropractor crack your neck?”
I'm getting chiropractic adjustments for my back pain, and last time my chiropractor cracked my neck hard. Is it normal? Should a chiropractor crack your neck?
10 Answers
Not "crack," but a specific scientific chiropractic adjustment is the absolute best for the vertebral segments in the neck.
Yes, it's good to have your neck looked at along the way. Just like a dentist doesn't just clean where your mouth hurts, treating your neck can prevent a problem before issues arise. Especially in today's age of technology where people are looking down at phones and computers so much, it's very important to keep the rest of your body healthy so it doesn't get bad like your back!
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
It is completely normal for a chiropractor to crack your neck. That being said, in my clinic, the neck is never cracked. I use a safe and gentle instrument called Atlas Orthogonal to adjust the neck.
By cracking the neck, you mean an adjustment. Chiropractors don't always have to crack the neck to get an adjustment, but when they do, it's fine.
If your chiropractor found a restriction in your neck, it is within the scope of practice for them to adjust (in your terms - crack) your neck. The sound is not a ‘cracking’ of your neck, it is gas molecules that exist in most joints redistributing to a different area of the joint. When you say ‘cracked my neck, hard’, that is very descriptive, but does not describe the circumstances of the actual adjustment. If you feel that your chiropractor adjusted an area that you did not authorize them to work on, or that they performed the adjustment in an unsafe matter, first talk with them and have them explain their actions. Hopefully, they will answer your questions to your satisfaction, but if you are not satisfied, you can file a complaint with your state’s Board of Health.
Great question! First....the sound may seem to be a "cracking" but I assure you there is no such thing! If your doctor identified abnormal function in the region and is working to restore normalcy to the area....absolutely! As is common practice...physical examination, appropriate history and diagnostic testing will identify people who may not benefit from spinal adjustment or "reduction" in the neck area....but barring any contraindications, the utilization of the procedure is just fine and exceedingly effective! Actually, the noise you've heard is the release of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gases from the joint fluids. It's known as "articular cavitation" and is a completely benign byproduct of moving the spinal joint (or any joint for that matter!) in this manner! The neck adjustment itself, in the current body of research, has been shown to be not only safe but exceedingly effective!
Yours in Vitality,
Dr. Tim Terlep
Yours in Vitality,
Dr. Tim Terlep
There are many ways to adjust the spine- some of which may cause a popping or cracking sound when a spinal segment is adjusted. You should express your concerns to your chiropractor regarding how he or she is working your spine. There may be an “easier” method of adjusting you that would make you more at ease.
Because the spine is so interconnected, neck adjustments are often needed in order to fully address the cause of back pain. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of misinformation put out by the American Medical Association over the years about chiropractic, including that a neck adjustment can be harmful. The research is very clear, however: adjustments, when performed by a well-trained chiropractor, are safe and effective when delivered form the purpose of reducing vertebral subluxation.
Dr. Jake Tucker
Dr. Jake Tucker
Chiropractors shouldn't "crack" necks, they should be adjusted.
In my practice I adjust every patient head to toe, when I find something that needs correcting. The spine functions as a whole unit, so adjusting the neck can help the back as well. If you are having discomfort with any of the treatments you should talk to your Chiropractor and adjust the treatment appropriately.
