Should You Do A Chiropractic Adjustment Yourself? (DIY Self-Adjustments)

According to the American Chiropractic Association over 30 million people go to a chiropractor every year. But you may be asking: Is this really necessary? Before we can jump into the question of self-adjustment, we first must understand a little bit about the chiropractic practice.

What is chiropractic? The idea behind chiropractic techniques is to reduce pain and other muscular disorders through an emphasis on the spine. Chiropractors manually adjust parts of the spine in an attempt to improve your well being and mobility.

Where did chiropractic come from? 
Daniel David Palmer founded the chiropractic practice in 1895 in Davenport, Iowa. After a brief incarceration in 1897, D.D. Palmer passed the Palmer School of Chiropractic to his son B.J. Palmer - who managed to greatly expand throughout the early twentieth century.

What exactly is chiropractic used to treat?
While not primarily focused on neurological and muscular disorders, typically people are referred to chiropractors for lower back, leg, and neck pain. Occasionally you’ll find repetitive strains or headaches can also be alleviated with chiropractic techniques.

So, what are some of these techniques?

Some of the techniques, or adjustments, involved typically stem around a quick movement in certain areas of the spinal column - the idea is to realign the vertebrae in a way that is more natural and produces less strain.

How is chiropractic viewed in the medical community?
Because of the spiritual beliefs of its founder, chiropractic is still seen as controversial in the medical community. It is considered by many as a form of alternative medicine outside normal scientifically sound procedures.

What can’t chiropractic fix? 
While effective for back pain and some neuromuscular disorders, I would not label chiropractic as a cure-all. Don’t expect it to fix your irritable bowel syndrome, cure your deafness, or increase your innate intelligence.

I’m having back pain - can I use chiropractic adjustments on myself?

Many chiropractors advise against using specific techniques to realign your own spine. Without proper training, you can end up hurting yourself. However, you can apply yoga and stretching to reduce strain, along with a liberal application of ice and heat pads to loosen muscles.

What about cracking my back and neck?

Chiropractors use specific actions directed at certain joints. Using a single swift action they are able to fix specific joints in the wanted direction. When you crack your back or neck, you are doing a general action that might create some relief but doesn’t target the specific problem.

Surely just a few pops can’t hurt right?

The issue is that the popping sound isn’t important, this is just a release of gas from in between the joints. Charlotte chiropractor, Accident and Injury Center, says when it comes to self-adjustment don’t expect to fix the underlying problem. Often times actual chiropractic techniques don’t cause that cracking sound.

Is there anything I can do to relieve back and neck pain then?

If you are looking for a home remedy, there are a few methods you can employ: For instance, you can do a little bit of stretching throughout the day, never fall asleep on your stomach, along with taking over the counter medicines like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

I’m still having pain - should I go to a chiropractor?

First I would recommend visiting your healthcare practitioner to see if there is an underlying problem. If you suffer from arthritis or other inflammatory diseases, a chiropractor would do little to get rid of your pain - however, generally lower back and neck pain is what they specialize at.

What can I expect with a chiropractor visit?

When you first meet with your chiropractor, expect to go through a consultation where you will talk about the symptoms you are suffering from - you will discuss areas of pain, duration, frequency, and what makes the pain worse or better.

Do I need to know anything before I go into this consultation?

I would recommend having a firm grasp of your family history along with your dietary habits - this can help the chiropractor come up with the best plan for you. Also, expect to be asked additional questions related to any other treatments you have taken along with your occupation.

What is the physical examination like?

There are numerous methods used to find out the state of your spine. You can expect the chiropractor to use testing such as x-ray and taking the temperature of the skin along the spinal column - this can help pinpoint any subluxations.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I would recommend that if you have recurring pain in your head, neck, or back that doesn’t go away with basic stretching or good posture, that you should look into seeing a chiropractor. Self-adjustment is a risky business, and without the right skills you may end up hurting yourself.