If you’ve never been to the chiropractor before, you might be wondering what it’s like to have your back or neck adjusted. Many newcomers are afraid the process might hurt. On the contrary, rather than causing pain, chiropractic adjustments are meant to help realign the spine, which can, in turn, reduce many causes of acute and chronic pain.
- Neck Pain
- Back Pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Headaches
- Pinched Nerves
- Pulled & Strained Muscles
- Spinal Stenosis
- Osteoarthritis Of The Spine
- Herniated Discs
- Vertebrae Misalignment
- Spondylolisthesis
- Poor Posture
- Whiplash & Other Injuries
What Are Chiropractic Adjustments?
During the adjustment process, a chiropractor will use their hands or an instrument to apply a controlled force to one of your spinal joints. The manipulations are intended to improve spinal motion, release pressure on nerves, and correct misalignment (also known as subluxations).
Depending on your condition, you may receive multiple adjustments to address different joints in one treatment session.
Methods Used In The Adjustment Process
Techniques vary from chiropractor to chiropractor, and may also vary based on your physical condition. You may be asked to lie face down or on your side for a back adjustment and face up or down for neck adjustments.
Some doctors focus on manual manipulation techniques, while others use activators or ArthroStim tools to deliver a series of very targeted and controlled forces to each vertebrae being adjusted.
That Popping & Cracking Is Perfectly Normal
Don’t be alarmed if your back or neck makes a popping or cracking noise as your doctor adjusts you. That sometimes scary-sounding noise is simply caused by the release of tiny gas pockets within your joints. It’s no different than the sound your knuckles make when you crack them.
Popping or cracking may or may not occur; every patient is unique, and the sound, or lack thereof, does not indicate success or failure of the adjustment.
Adjustments Shouldn’t Hurt
You shouldn’t feel intense pain during or after a visit to the chiropractor. Occasionally, some patients report mild soreness similar to what you would feel after exercising. The treatment causes the targeted vertebrae to move ever so slightly; your muscles need to adapt to this movement and may therefore feel slightly sore afterward.
Healing Takes Time But Is Worth The Wait
Although you may feel some relief after your initial adjustment, most people shouldn’t expect their underlying condition to resolve overnight. Most people require multiple visits to realign their spines, and many people choose to make regular chiropractic visits part of their long-term health plan.
Here are a few of the potential benefits of long-term chiropractic treatment.
- Resolve Back, Neck, Shoulder Pain
- Headache Relief
- Reduced Inflammation
- Joint Pain Relief
- Scoliosis Improvement
- Relief From Sciatica
- Reduced Vertigo Symptoms
- Lowered Blood Pressure
- Recovery From Whiplash
- Improvement Of Bad Posture
Are You Looking For A Ballard Chiropractic Clinic?
Our team at Glacier Chiropractic would love to meet you. If you have car accident injuries, need neck or back pain treatment, or want to explore the many health benefits that chiropractic adjustments can bring you or a family member, contact us today. We look forward to scheduling your initial exam so that you can get started down the road to better spinal health.
