3 min read
Every year, people with injuries and chronic pain turn to their chiropractor for treatment and relief. In fact, the American Chiropractic Association estimates that 35 million Americans visit a chiropractor each year.
One treatment that chiropractors perform is a spinal adjustment. During an adjustment, gentle pressure is applied to your spine to realign your joints and vertebrae. Spinal adjustments, also called chiropractic adjustments or spinal manipulation, can provide relief for:
- back pain
- neck pain
- headaches
- an array of injuries, including from motor vehicle accidents and sports
- sciatica
If you've never had a spinal adjustment before, you might be wondering if this type of treatment is safe for you and your family.
What Credentials Do Chiropractors Have?
It's important to receive chiropractic care, including spinal adjustments, from a licensed chiropractor. Before becoming licensed, chiropractors must first obtain their doctor of chiropractic degree. In the United States, these colleges are accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education. Then after receiving their degrees, chiropractors must also pass a licensing exam for the state they want to practice in. Licensed chiropractors provide safe and effective treatment, including spinal adjustments.
Many people experience pain relief immediately or soon after an adjustment. Some people may experience a headache and/or soreness in the joints that were treated, but this is usually minor and short-lived.
At your first appointment, your chiropractor will sit down and discuss your health with you. If they feel that your condition could be improved with a spinal adjustment, they will explain the benefits and risks to you. Then you have the option of proceeding with the treatment.
Benefits of Spinal Adjustments
Your spinal cord acts as the messenger between your brain and the rest of your body. When your spine is misaligned, your body isn't as healthy as it could be. For many patients, the biggest benefit of a spinal adjustment is pain relief without medications. Some people are able to postpone or even avoid surgery. Chiropractic adjustments have other benefits:
- Better circulation and blood flow throughout your body,
- Increased mobility in joints
- Reduced inflammation of injured or diseased joints, as misaligned vertebrae puts pressure on nerves. This pressure can result in the build of inflammation-causing chemicals in the body, called cytokines and neuropeptides.
Spinal manipulations are typically safe and appropriate for people of all ages. For faster and more effective healing, spinal adjustments are often paired with other chiropractic treatments like electric muscle stimulation or cold laser therapy. However, the exact treatment plan depends on the patient and their pain.
Even after achieving pain relief and more mobility, some people continue to receive routine adjustments to maintain their overall health and range of motion. Chiropractic visits--along with a healthy diet, stress management, and exercise--can help you achieve your wellness goals.
What Creates the "Popping" Noise?
During a chiropractic adjustment, some patients will hear a "popping" noise or experience a "popping" sensation in the spine, neck, or other joint being treated. This can certainly be alarming the first time you experience it. However, this is completely normal during spinal manipulation and is no reason for concern. The noise is simply a result of the fluid in your joints moving around.
The joints in your body are surrounded by a thick liquid called synovial fluid. This fluid protects your joints when you move. Synovial fluid naturally contains small pockets of air. The pressure of a spinal adjustment causes the air to move around. This movement creates the "popping" sensation. It is a myth that "popping" is an indication of an effective or ineffective spinal manipulation. Not everyone will hear or feel "popping," and you may not experience it with every adjustment.
It’s also important that you don’t tense up right before the adjustment while you’re expecting the popping sound. This will make the adjustment less effective.
Spinal Adjustments in The Woodlands, TX
For more information about getting a spinal adjustment to reduce pain and increase mobility, schedule an appointment at our office in The Woodlands. Our chiropractors, Dr. Andy Thomas and Dr. Luis Solis, look forward to meeting you.
