Spinal Adjustment

Getting A Spinal Adjustment Is Not As Scary As It Might Sound

For people who have never had any type of chiropractic treatment before, the one thing that may put them off from getting a spinal adjustment is the stories they have probably heard from friends or coworkers. Almost everyone who regularly visits a chiropractor for treatment mentions that the scariest part is the popping noises. Rest assured, if you hear a popping sound, it does not mean that something is wrong. On the other hand, it is actually a good thing.

Want to know more about how a spinal adjustment can alleviate back pain, and add to your overall health? All of us at the Lakeland Spine Center want you back to feeling good as soon as possible. Call us today for an immediate appointment.

Spinal Adjustment Procedure

The most common treatment done at a chiropractor’s office is often a spinal adjustment. This is usually done to alleviate chronic back pain and is one of the safest non-surgical treatments available today. What might put people off is the sounds that your body will make during this treatment and might even cause some to worry that something just went wrong when it happens.

During the treatment, your back is being given a gentle stretching along the spinal joint and when the joint tissues are being stretched, you will often hear a sudden popping sound. Just because it sounds terrible, it really is not anything to be alarmed about. When the joint tissues stretch, they release air pockets that may have formed in the fluid around the joints. When the air bubble is contorted during stretching, it pops. That is the sound can be heard outside the body. Nothing to worry about, because now that the air bubble is gone, the fluid around your joints can now return to normal and your range of movement has increased.

After Treatment

After the chiropractic adjustment procedure, the first thing you will notice is that you have a lot more movement in your lower back. It is advisable however, that even though you have more movement, you should not try to overdo anything for a while. For most patients, even though a greater range of movement has been restored to your lower back, the muscles in that area may still be somewhat tight and sore.

In general, the pain you were feeling will be reduced but you still need to take care of the muscles surrounding the joints after a spinal adjustment. Hot or cold packs will help to ease the stiffness you may be feeling in those muscles, and your doctor may also recommend some gentle stretching exercises that you can do to increase your flexibility. The doctor can also give you advice on some preventive measures as well, like being aware of the proper way to bend and lift objects and some ergonomic positions to use while sitting to avoid putting too much stress on your back.