
Chiropractic adjustment is much more than “cracking” your neck or back.
A frequently asked question by patients is whether they can adjust themselves. The answer is a definite no. Even chiropractors are not able to adjust themselves. Most people don’t understand the purpose that the adjustment serves, they see it as just “cracking” your back.
There is much more to the adjustment than just “cracking” your neck or back. It is a precise maneuver that is aimed to either return a vertebra to the correct position or to reestablish proper movement to a joint. In order to know which joint needs to be adjusted, chiropractors carry out detailed examinations of patients.
People commonly put their hand on their chin and turn their neck until they hear something “pop” with no idea what it is that they are making pop. Chiropractors ensure that they know exactly which segment is being adjusted by using a specific contact.
It is important to know that there are a number of ways a vertebra can be misaligned. There are 16 different directions a vertebra can move, so it is critical to know which way it has moved before making an adjustment. A trained chiropractor is able to determine what direction the vertebra has moved and how to return it to the correct position. People who crack their own backs can actually be moving the bone further out of position, because they have no idea what direction it has moved.
Some people crack their own neck quite often and the reason for this is that the body releases endorphins when the popping noise occurs. Endorphins are hormones that make you feel good, but they only last in the blood stream for 15-20 minutes, which is why they feel the need to pop their neck again. In effect, endorphins are being used to temporarily cover the problem and not fix it. On the other hand, a chiropractic adjustment fixes the problem by putting the vertebra into the proper position. This means they no longer have to rely on endorphins to feel better.
Now we know that no one can adjust themselves, not even chiropractors. You are not fixing the problem even if you can pop your own neck, or back, and you could even be making it worse. Why not schedule a visit at Innovative Chiropractic in Mill Creek to have your problem fixed by a professional? Contact us today.