Chiropractic Adjustment

“So, what’s the difference between me cracking my own neck/back vs a chiropractor giving me an adjustment?”

This is actually a question I’ve gotten a lot recently - and rightfully so!

As chiropractors, we spend hundreds of hours in lectures and labs learning about the anatomy and physiology of the entire body, especially the spine and nervous system. Then we train for countless hours learning how to locate a subluxation, analyze it, and how to remove it! A subluxation is an interference to the nervous system, which impacts how the brain and body communicate about what’s happening in our surrounding environments. 

Mechanical subluxations can occur when joints become fixated or adhesed. This means they are stuck in a funky position that the brain is not a fan of. Because our bodies are super smart, the brain will send signals to the surrounding joints to have them move a little extra in order to compensate for the “stuck” joint. So when you “crack” your own joints, you are moving the surrounding joints, releasing gas from their joint capsules - which is what causes the cracking/popping sounds!

Chiropractors are trained to perform specific adjustments, removing the subluxation, and releasing the joint fixations or adhesions that are “stuck.” Now the surrounding joints don’t have to compensate anymore! Adjustments can happen in many different ways - manually, by use of drops or activator, sustained contact, toggle, etc. When these subluxations are removed, it allows the brain to communicate better with the area of the body those nerves are associated with! This helps you better adapt to stress, digest your food, move your body, and perceive the world around you!