Is Cracking Your Neck Bad for You?

Many people are familiar with the “cracking” or “popping” sensation. Sometimes people even have a habit of cracking their joints, like cracking or popping knuckles, fingers, toes, and even your back or neck. Whether you have developed a habit of cracking or are trying it for relief, you should take caution with cracking or popping certain joints. Anything affecting the spine in your neck and back should be taken very seriously, and you want to avoid causing any damage or injury to the area. An occasional and unintentional gentle cracking of your neck or back may not cause you much harm, but forcefully cracking your neck improperly can cause problems. There are neck pain treatment options available, like chiropractic care, where a professional spine doctor can help you experience the lasting relief of pain and pressure with scientific neck adjustments in a controlled environment.

Why Cracking Your Neck Makes a Sound

It helps to understand what causes the neck cracking sound so you can better understand how it works. The cracking or popping sound you are familiar with, from the joints in your hands and feet to your neck and back, has to do with the structure of those joints. You might be surprised to learn that the vertebrae in your spine are actually joints, too. So, cracking your neck is similar to cracking your knuckles. The sound of neck cracking and in your other joints is actually the sound of gases inside the joints. That means the sound of a cracking neck is not actually the sound of bones cracking or popping against one another. Instead, there are small amounts of fluids in the joints that turn to gas due to pressure. In most cases, that cracking or popping sound isn’t harmful.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Neck Cracking

You might still be wondering, “Is cracking your neck bad for you?” There are benefits and drawbacks to cracking your neck. Cracking your neck does have benefits, like relieving pressure, pain relief, and even causing a positive mental effect as endorphins are released. However, when you crack your neck on your own, it is possible to do it incorrectly, too frequently, or even too forcefully. Neck cracking done incorrectly can affect the misalignment in your spine and even cause more pain and discomfort than before. Cracking your neck too often can also lead to hypermobility and even wear down the structures that support your spine. Cracking your neck too forcefully can also be damaging and create more problems.

Chiropractic Care for Neck Cracking

The best way to get relief from neck cracking is to visit a chiropractor. A chiropractor is a spine doctor who studies the entire musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors offer chiropractic adjustments and other types of treatment and care to help with injuries, chronic pain, health conditions, and even preventative maintenance and well-being. When you crack your neck on your own, you may not be able to resolve all the issues in your spine. A chiropractor can assess your spine and determine areas of misalignment that require adjusting. A chiropractic adjustment involves gently moving vertebrae into their proper alignment. Chiropractic care is minimally invasive and all-natural, so you don’t have to worry about taking medications with strong side effects or enduring invasive surgical procedures.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

When you visit your chiropractor, not only can they help you with cracking or popping your joints, but they can also address the root cause for better and longer-lasting results. Your chiropractor may want to run an X-ray of your spine to get a clearer look at your vertebrae and their alignment. In addition, a manual examination of your spine will allow your chiropractor to better determine what is causing your pain or discomfort. Chiropractic care has a wide range of benefits due to its effective and all-natural treatment methods. Whether you are struggling with tech neck and have a stiff, sore neck or are recovering from a whiplash injury after a car accident, a chiropractor can help. Your chiropractor can also talk to you about how to safely treat your neck at home and may recommend a combination of lifestyle and exercise changes to help reduce your pain and discomfort.

Visit AICA Orthopedics at a location near you and meet with one of our chiropractors today!