Chiropractic adjustments focus on non-invasive, evidence-based treatment that is designed to relieve pain while re-aligning your joints, spine, or neck. This type of care has helped millions of patients feel much better through spinal manipulation, physical rehabilitation, and targeted alignment.

Although chiropractic care has become widely accepted in the medical field, there are still lingering and outdated myths that surround the practice. Let’s take a closer look at these myths by dispelling them one by one.

Myth #1: Chiropractic Care is Painful

When you visit your chiropractor for the first time, you may experience a bit of discomfort simply because you are not used to the procedure. However, the purpose of a chiropractic procedure is to make you feel better, not create more pain. Therefore, you should experience a great deal of relief.

Chiropractors align your spine, joints, or muscles properly. This usually creates immediate relief and reduces or eliminates pain. Many clients state that their joints, back, neck, and head feel much better after a chiropractic procedure.

Myth #2: If You Hear Popping & Cracking, Then You Should Be Alarmed

Popping and cracking in your joints always sounds alarming. However, anyone who has been to the chiropractor a few times can tell you that it sounds worse than it is. Popping and cracking during a chiropractic adjustment is typical and expected.

What causes the popping or cracking?

Your joints are surrounded by a capsule of connective tissue. Inside that capsule is synovial fluid which helps to lubricate the joint. The fluid contains the normal gases found in the body such as oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. When you pop or crack a joint, you stretch the joint capsule and gas escapes. POP! This is not dangerous nor injurious.

Myth #3: I Can Adjust My Own Back Using a Few Self Techniques

One question I ask people who adjust themselves is, “Do you know the angle of the facets or the disc plane line?” Unless you are a chiropractor, the answer is always no. Moving a joint through a range of motion that it is not designed to move through can damage a joint. Also, when a joint is locked in a position, the vertebra above and below it become hypermobile to make up for the lack of motion from the “stuck” vertebra. An indiscriminate force into the area through self-adjusting will move the “loose” vertebra and not address the “stuck” one that’s causing the problem.

A chiropractor can identify the joints that are stuck and make the necessary adjustments to pop them back into place. These joints are difficult to re-align. Therefore, you need the help of a professional who can re-align them for you.

Myth #4: Chiropractic Adjustments Can Lead to a Stroke

Some studies suggest that chiropractic care can cause a stroke. However, these studies have been challenged by numerous other studies that document no proven connection between chiropractic adjustments and strokes. There is no direct correlation and at most, one person in a million is alleged to be adversely affected by chiropractic care that results in a stroke.

Chiropractors are highly trained to provide chiropractic care with zero side effects and are trained to look at the neck and spine to determine if there is any risk of performing a chiropractic adjustment. If so, they will not treat the patient.

Myth #5: Chiropractic Care Requires Twisting and Crunching

Chiropractic care often includes twisting and crunching to re-align your back or neck joints. However, this type of movement is not required. There are other ways to achieve the same results.

For instance, we can use hand-held chiropractic tools or light-force for adjusting. Light or low force adjustments allow us to start gently and then slowly increase pressure as we go. This triggers different responses from your spine or neck but yields the same results. It still relieves pressures and makes the necessary adjustments without all the tell-tale twisting and crunching.

Contact us at Therapeutic Kneads to learn more about our Chiropractic Services.