What is all that “crackling” and “popping” that I hear?
For those of you who have been treated by a chiropractor or even for people who have never been treated by one but who have always heard about it, you may wonder what are all the sounds that your body makes when you are being adjusted or manipulated? That is indeed a very good question and one that has not always been answered clearly or the answer may have people confused.As you may know, our body is filled with air (oxygen and nitrogen for the most part) and these 2 gases occupy different areas of our body at all times.The crackling or popping sounds that we hear at times when we are being adjusted or manipulated are not caused by the actual bones themselves but by the pockets of these 2 gases that are bursting when the gases are rushing in to fill the partial vacuum created when the joints are slightly separated during a treatment. Another example of this phenomenon would be the "pop" sound you hear when the cork is taken out of a champagne bottle. Not all chiropractic adjusting techniques produce this noise. In fact, some adjusting techniques use little force and thus produce no noise at all.
Is it bad to "crack" your back or neck a lot?
This question is frequently asked because people associate the "crackling" or "popping" of one's back or neck with a chiropractic adjustment. The two are not the same thing. If a person has a desire to "crack" his/her neck or back it is often because one area of their spine is fixated or jammed causing another area to move too much and "pop", sometimes by itself. When you "crack" your back you may be relieving the tension for a little while. Do you notice how it keeps coming back.That is because you are not giving yourself a specific chiropractic adjustment.
Do I need to see a Chiropractor for the rest of my life?
The answer to this often asked question is simply NO. The extent to which you choose to benefit from your chiropractic care is ultimately up to you. Each & everyone of us are solely responsible for the quality of our health & well-being. However, we do strongly urge all patients to consider wellness chiropractic care. This is where the long-term, lasting benefits of care are beneficial. Regular g habits are a lifestyle decision and so is lifetime, wellness chiropractic care.
Should I continue chiropractic care if I don't have any symptoms and I feel better?
It is advised to do so. Just because symptoms disappear, does not mean your subluxations or fixations are corrected. Most of the patients seen in our office have spinal degeneration which has taken years to develop. The trauma of the birth process, slips, falls, accidents and countless other stresses over the course of your lifetime adversely affect the health of your spine. The longer you wait to have your spine checked by a chiropractor, the longer it will take to correct your subluxations.
