“What happens when a chiropractor cracks your neck?”
I am a 32 year old male. I have a chiropractic adjustment coming up and I am nervous about my neck being cracked. What happens when a chiropractor cracks your neck?
13 Answers
A chiropractic adjustment is perfectly safe. The sound that you may hear is simply the equalizing of pressure that is built up in the joints of your spine. If you have ever "popped" your knuckles then you know what this sounds like. The neck is just a more sensitive area to some people and the sound is perceived to be louder due to your ears being closer to the site of the adjustment. If you truly do not feel comfortable with any type of chiropractic adjustment, let your doctor know. There are a variety of techniques to adjust the spine, many of which do not require the "cracking" sound to happen. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, ask your chiropractor about "instrument adjusting". However you get adjusted, you will feel better.
Good luck.
Good luck.
Probably one if the most commonly asked questions and misunderstood concepts about Chiropractic and being adjusted. Many have not given chiropractic it’s fair shake because of the fear of the “cracking” sound you often hear when getting adjusted(re-aligned).
The truth is with an adjustment which makes a cavitation(the correct term for the cracking noise). At Rhino Chiropractic we explain to our patients the term adjusting rather than crack, pop, snap or manipulate. Though it may seem just a matter of semantics the words used to define things can affect perception and value. We educate patients that nothing is breaking, snapping or injuring when a specific chiropractic adjustment are performed based on proper analysis of the spine and biomechanically marked X-rays. I tell patients even though they love their adjustments and it could get addicting being in the correct alignment free from nervous system interference....Don’t get hooked on the “crack”
The truth is with an adjustment which makes a cavitation(the correct term for the cracking noise). At Rhino Chiropractic we explain to our patients the term adjusting rather than crack, pop, snap or manipulate. Though it may seem just a matter of semantics the words used to define things can affect perception and value. We educate patients that nothing is breaking, snapping or injuring when a specific chiropractic adjustment are performed based on proper analysis of the spine and biomechanically marked X-rays. I tell patients even though they love their adjustments and it could get addicting being in the correct alignment free from nervous system interference....Don’t get hooked on the “crack”
A cascade of events take place. It’s very good to receive a specific chiropractic adjustment. The audible is just gases.
AAAAH! Relief, that's how it feels to most of my patients. Will relieve discomfort, whether pain in the neck, shoulders, radiating down arms, hands etc. the cracking or popping sounds are nothing to be afraid of, just gas being released.
Good for you for going to a chiro. will help with a lot of things and live healthier.
Good for you for going to a chiro. will help with a lot of things and live healthier.
When you get a chiropractic adjustment and you here a pop of the joint that is just gas in the joint. The chiropractor is just trying to restore normal function to your joints when doing an adjustment.
The crack you hear when a chiropractor adjusts your neck is simply a bubble of carbon dioxide popping. It's the same sound you would hear when "cracking" your knuckles. It will just seem a lot louder and stronger since it's in your head and very close to your ears. The chiropractor is trying to get stuck joints to move and when it moves past a certain point a cavitation will occur and will get those stuck joints moving properly again.
Dr. Jonathan Donath, DC, MS
Dr. Jonathan Donath, DC, MS
Good morning. There is nothing to be nervous about. Often times, a chiropractic adjustment to the neck can help instantly alleviate neck pain and soreness. With the proper evaluation and care, you will be surprised as to how easy and pain free it an be. A chiropractor looks for restrictions in the spine, where nerves and tissues can be compromised and as a result causing pain to that area. He/she then tries to correct that misalignment or restriction by performing what is called a chiropractic manipulation. The "cracking" you hear is nothing but Oxygen being released between the joint. Kind of like the noise hear when cracking your knuckles.
Hedie Adamous D.C.
Hedie Adamous D.C.
When a Chiropractor adjusts your neck, it is because you have a misalignment of your vertebra in neck that needs adjusting to take the pressure off of the nerves in that area and to get them stimulated to heal and get you better. You may hear some popping noises that is normal and just pressure being released and arthritis breaking up. Sometimes it sounds loud but that is just because your ears are so close to the are being adjusted.,
When a chiropractor cracks your neck, all that the cracking sound is the release of gas from the joint. I use a more advanced technique which does not require any joints to be cracked. The technique is called Activator.
Dr. David Mankowitz
Dr. David Mankowitz
The sound of the crack is mainly a vacuum releasing and may or may not mean the vertebrae adjusted. It is dangerous to have anybody other than a trained professional "POP" your neck. However, Chiropractic is a proven safe therapy when done appropriately by a professional. I my opinion the issue is adjusting the right vertebrae the right way. Hypo mobile (not moving properly) and Hyper mobile (moving too much) vertebrae are in the neck and other areas of the spine and they need to be treated. If an individual doesn't know what they are doing they will "POP" the vertebrae that is already moving too much. This may feel good at the time because of the endorphins (the body's own hormone) released by the body, but in the long run may make the condition worse. Find a Doctor of Chiropractic you trust and see the benefit.
A slight force is applied to a specific segment to restore motion and relieve pain
The sound is a release of gases from between the joints and is generally painless.
The cracking sound is a side effect of aligning the joints of the spine and is harmless. The adjustment is what brings the spine into correct alignment and function.
