Have you ever wondered if you could simply skip the chiropractor and adjust yourself? The answer is a firm NO!
Let’s start with the basics. An adjustment is not a simple pop or crack of the back; it’s much more than that. An adjustment is a gentle correction that is performed manually or with a device. It is designed to relieve pressure on the nerves. It restores function to a joint or puts something back into place. Adjustments help promote regular function. Some individuals may believe they can do this themselves or that their friends or family members can do it for them. Have you ever experienced cracks and pops when you stand up or do a particularly good stretch? When that happens, the pop of their joints may make some people think that they’ve successfully performed a chiropractic adjustment. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Self-manipulating a joint can do more harm than good.
If an individual attempts to self-manipulate a joint that is surrounded by weakened muscles and/or ligaments, they may find themselves in more pain. Adjustments should be performed by a professional chiropractor who has completed years of training to learn about spinal anatomy, human biology, and physiology. They also learn how to diagnose neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Adjustments are very specific and require skill to administer, making them incredibly difficult to perform on yourself. Even after all that training, your chiropractor has to consult another chiropractor; they cannot perform adjustments on themselves.
The problem with cracking your back or neck is that you have no idea which way the vertebra has moved, so your “adjustment” can be putting your vertebra farther out of place. The vertebra in your body can move in sixteen different directions. While a chiropractor is trained to know which way your vertebra has moved, when you try to adjust yourself, you have no clue which direction the vertebra has moved. Cracking your back can move it in the opposite direction it needs to go, therefore increasing your pain level.
Cracking your back or neck can feel good, but often the relief is temporary. This is because when you feel that crack in your neck or back, the crack triggers the release of endorphins in your body. Those endorphins make you feel good, but the feeling only lasts about 15-20 minutes. After that small timeframe, you feel that same urge to crack your back or neck.
Instead of attempting an adjustment yourself, call us at 320-252-3711 or visit us today.
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