Do Chiropractors Really Crack Your Neck?
Clear Lake Chiropractor Comments: This question, or something similar, is one of the most common questions that I get as a doctor of chiropractic (DC). Unfortunately, most people have no idea what a chiropractic adjustment is like, what is happening to the body, or what is causing the noise (or not causing the noise).
Especially recently, people are watching online videos with the emphasis on the “popping” noise. People tend to think that every adjustment will sound like a board breaking.
Some people are even convinced that I could actually break their neck like they see in the movies.
Some of the techniques that chiropractors use, such as activator or spinal decompression, do not even cause a noise to be made.
An overview of what a chiropractic adjustment is can be found here. What is a Chiropractic Adjustment? (beecherchiropractic.com)
The use of the terms “popping or cracking” is only used to describe the sound that may or may not occur after an adjustment. If you do not want to hear the noise, just ask your chiropractor to use a technique that does not cause the cavitation.
Also, make sure that any spinal adjustment that you receive is from a trained doctor of chiropractic and not another healthcare provider that has not received the proper training. Some providers, such as MD’s and PT’s, think that since it looks easy to perform a spinal adjustment, they can also adjust their own patients. Unfortunately for the patient, they soon find out that the provider cannot in fact perform a chiropractic adjustment correctly.
The risks from receiving a neck adjustment from a chiropractor are minimal, as reflected by chiropractic malpractice rates. And no…we do not crack your neck.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at www.BeecherChiropractic.com or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
