For years, chiropractic care has proven effective in treating back, neck or shoulder pain, yet some people  are still reluctant to get an adjustment. Often, we hear that these individuals are intimidated by the notion that they will have their neck cracked during an adjustment and fear additional pain after treatment. But the term "neck cracking" can be very misleading, as that is not what is truly happening during a chiropractic adjustment. 

There isn’t any “cracking” involved in a chiropractic adjustment.

When a chiropractor gives you an adjustment, you may at times hear a cracking or snapping sound; the sound alone can surely be intimidating but it is certainly not doing damage and there is no actual cracking involved.

A chiropractic adjustment whether in your neck or other part of your body, does not involve cracking your bones or your joints. Nothing in your body actually gets cracked or broken. Neck cracking or cracking refers to realigning the spine. The noise that results from this realignment is what you hear.

How it works:

Your joint cavities are filled with synovial fluid, which includes oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen. When your neck, for example, is “cracked” during a chiropractic session, it’s simply the sound of compressed gas being released from the fluid as a result of the specific movement. This kind of manipulation can offer you relief and increase the range of motion in your joints. You may feel some tenderness afterwards, especially if you have never received an alignment before, but only for a short time. Most likely, what you will notice the most after a chiropractic adjustment is that you will feel better.

Chiropractic adjustments can benefit just about anyone.

Some benefits of chiropractic adjustments are that they can help decrease discomfort in your neck, as well as in your lower or upper back, shoulders, knees or ankles. This treatment may be ideal for someone recovering from any kind of spine or joint pain, whether they're looking to manage chronic pain or alleviate discomfort caused by a vehicle accident or a sports-related injury, for example.

So, don't be afraid. Going to the chiropractor may be just what you need to get rid of that pain in your neck or your back and enjoy your life to the fullest.

Do you want to learn more about chiropractic care? Read our other blog posts about this topic, such as "Is Taking Your Children to See a Chiropractor Common?" and "How Often Should I See a Chiropractor?"