You may know someone who has a habit of cracking their knuckles. Perhaps that person also cracks their neck or back. There’s a telltale popping or clicking sound from doing this, and many people wonder whether or not it’s safe. Similar sounds are produced during a chiropractic visit, and regular adjustments can relieve pain. Can doing it yourself have a similar effect?

The team at the Temecula, CA office of Horst Chiropractic would like to consider the effects and potential dangers of cracking your own neck or back. We’ll then explain why professional chiropractic adjustment is much different.

What Happens When a Joint Is Cracked or Popped

Around every joint is a capsule of fluid that lubricates the bones. Cracking a joint stretches the capsules around the joint, placing negative pressure on the fluid and creating gas bubbles in the process. The appearance of these gas bubbles are what cause the clicking, popping, or cracking sound.

The above phenomenon is known as cavitation or boiling. Some people liken this negative pressure and pop to the act of opening a soda can.

Are There Benefits to Cracking Your Neck or Back?

Yes, potentially.

Cavitation is an important principle in chiropractic care. Carefully cracking or popping the joints helps free them up, relieving pressure and joint paint, and thus potentially improving joint function in the process.

The Dangers of Cracking Your Own Neck or Back

“Carefully” is the key word when it comes to the benefits of cavitation. Cracking joints yourself could lead to injury if you don’t know what you’re doing. This is particularly risky with the neck and back.

When you crack your back or neck too forcefully, you can cause damage to the vertebrae and the vertebral discs. There’s also a risk of hypermobility if you crack your neck or back too frequently. Hypermobility refers to having a much larger range of movement than normal. This can increase the risk of injury as well as developing osteoarthritis later in life.

The Many Minute Tissues Near Your Spine

In addition to negative effects on the vertebrae and vertebral discs, the soft tissues of the neck and back can be overextended or damaged from careless cavitation. Some of these tissues include:

• Muscles
• Ligaments
• Tendons
• Nerves
• Blood vessels
• Arteries
• The spinal cord itself

Professional Chiropractic Adjustment Is Safer

To avoid injury to your spine and other parts of your body, it’s a good idea to leave the cracking and popping to the professionals. A chiropractor is trained in proper manipulation of the spine and your joints. Carefully applied pressure to your body leads to safe cavitation that relieves discomfort and improves mobility.

During your adjustment, the chiropractor can speak with you about where there’s pain and what’s causing it. This communication with your chiropractor during adjustment helps improve the treatment and avoids injuries and hypermobility.

A Focus on Total Wellness

Cracking and popping joints isn’t all there is to chiropractic care. As part of your visit to the practice, a chiropractor will discuss diet, exercise, and various lifestyle concerns with you to help promote general wellness.

Like professional cavitation, a little help from someone who knows what they’re doing can work wonders.

Meet with a Chiropractor about Your Neck or Back Pain

For more information about neck and back pain and how we can help you experience less pain and better mobility, be sure to contact an experienced chiropractor. The team at Horst Chiropractic is here to perform regular adjustments and discuss total wellness in greater detail.