Crack! What Does That Sound Mean During a Chiropractic Adjustment?

Most of the time, when you hear a cracking sound, it’s not a good thing. Whether it’s a crack of thunder, glass breaking, a broken bone, or something else, the moment you hear it can be unsettling to say the least. However, there’s one situation where a cracking sound shouldn’t cause concern—in the chiropractor’s office during an adjustment.

In this post, you’ll learn what goes on during a chiropractic adjustment, what that sound means, and why frequent adjustments are beneficial.

What Happens During a Chiropractic Adjustment?

Say you have a tight, painful upper back, and you need to see a chiropractor, who is a specialist in spinal alignment. When the spine is not aligned correctly, the nerves in between vertebrae can twinge with pain from imbalance and pressure. Your chiropractor may gently press, turn your body in certain ways, and use various chiropractic adjustment techniques to re-establish the appropriate spacing and alignment between vertebrae, disks, and nerve endings, relieving pain and providing more range of motion.

What Does the Chiropractor Do to Make a Cracking Sound?

In your body, when you hear a crack while playing sports or rough housing, it may mean you’ve broken a bone, but what about when you crack your knuckles? You aren’t breaking your hand! A chiropractic adjustment can have the same kind of sound without causing harm; in fact, this cracking is often a sign of improvement. As you learned above, your chiropractor is not breaking bones, but realigning joints. In an adjustment, they create a negative pressure near the vertebrae or joint, which causes small pockets of gas to collect and pop.

As a result, if you hear a crack or two while your chiropractor works on your neck, shoulders, or back, it’s nothing to worry about.

Why Should You Get Regular Chiropractic Adjustments?

Obviously, if your back or neck become injured, or if you have pain, chiropractic treatment is essential for recovery. By encouraging your body to transition back to its ideal alignment, the chiropractor uses non-invasive, natural techniques, which leads to longer-lasting relief.

Although some patients only visit a chiropractor when they have a painful injury, you should also consider getting adjusted on a regular basis to maintain healthy alignment and reduce the risk of injury. You may be tempted to try to crack your own back or neck, but your chiropractor has undergone years of training in anatomy and proper techniques, which means they can perform adjustments safely without creating more problems or pain.

In the end, if you hear a cracking sound while on the chiropractor’s table, you don’t have to be concerned about your safety. It’s normal! Just know that it means you are on the path back to feeling and moving better!

About the Author

Dr. Chad Wills has been practicing in Naples for more than 20 years at Wills Chiropractic. Certified in Chiropractic Biophysics, he stands alone in this advanced training. In fact, there is only one other chiropractor in the Collier and Lee County that has this qualification. He finds great satisfaction in helping patients regain mobility and function as well as feel less pain. If you would like to have a chiropractic adjustment, you can contact Wills Chiropractic online or call 239-331-6060 to schedule an appointment.