In the video below, Overland Park chiropractor, Dr. Charles Fulk, explains exactly what’s happening in the body when you hear a popping sound during chiropractic treatments.
I’d like to tell you about one of our patients, Mary. Mary had made up her mind to never have her neck adjusted. She was nervous about the popping sound that’s often heard during chiropractic treatments, (adjustments.)
She stayed true to her promise until she and her son were in an auto accident.
She was rear-ended while sitting at an Overland Park stoplight on her way to drop her son off at school. The other driver hit her so hard that her air bag was deployed.
Mary was hurt pretty badly, but she was no longer in a place where not having her neck adjusted was an option.
Mary and her son began receiving Overland Park chiropractic treatments at Fulk Chiropractic, and she was adjusted several times. This allowed her body to heal and has made her a huge advocate of chiropractic care.
What Makes the “Crack” or Popping Sound During Chiropractic Treatments?
There’s a lot of confusion surrounding the popping sound that’s often heard during chiropractic treatments.
Your bones are held together by tendons and ligaments. Wherever two bones are joined together, it’s called a “joint.” Within the space of each joint is a lubricating liquid called synovial fluid. This acts a little like oil or grease would in a car engine, and it lubricates the joint – allowing it to move easily.
When the chiropractic adjustment takes place, the joint is pushed and suddenly opened (within normal ranges.) This is called cavitation. Cavitation is the formation of empty space that takes place when a joint is separated.
When the joint opens up, the body fills that space with carbon dioxide from the synovial fluid, and that’s when you hear an audible (the “crack” or popping sound.)
It’s exactly the same sound that’s made when you crack your knuckles. Your fingers are made up of several joints – just like your spine.
Chiropractic and Champaign
The science behind chiropractic treatments is similar to what happens when you open a bottle of champaign. The pressure inside a bottle of champaign is different than the pressure outside the bottle, so when you take the lid off, the pressure has to change – making a pop!
What’s the Immediate Benefit Chiropractic Treatments?
Healthy joints move with a full range of motion, but an injured joint that is restricted or tight has a smaller range of motion.
The goal of chiropractic treatment is to increase a joint’s range of motion. This is done by taking the restricted joint to the end of its range and then adjusting it.
Is Cracking My Own Back or Neck Good For Me?
If you continually crack your own joints, you’re most-likely moving the joints above and below the joints that are injured or locked. You may feel better, temporarily, but over time, you will loosen the surrounding ligaments making the joint more prone to injury.
We’ve written an entire post about the potential dangers of cracking your own neck or back.
The important thing to remember is that the sound the occurs during chiropractic treatments isn’t something to be nervous about. It’s just part of the process that’s required to lubricate the joint – allowing it to, once again, bend and move when you bend and move.
The Overland Park chiropractors at Fulk Chiropractic specialize in treating neck pain, headaches, back pain, sciatica, and a whole host of other symptoms.
Through focused chiropractic treatments, they restore motion to joints and correct many common symptoms at their source.
To see if chiropractic care can be a benefit for your, specific condition, schedule an appointment online, or contact our office, directly, at 913-764-6237 to speak with one of our experienced, local, Overland Park chiropractors.
Learn more:
What’s the Secret of the Chiropractic Adjustment?