Adjustment

A spinal adjustment or manipulation is a natural, controlled and skillful procedure that restores the spine’s ability to function and relieve nerve interference. It is done by moving a joint within the physiologic range of motion using a controlled high velocity, low amplified force. A chiropractic adjustment removes “subluxations” and can be used in numerous other joints in the body such as hands, elbows, feet, pelvis, etc. Sometimes an instrument called an “activator” is used to manipulate joints when indicated.

The adjustment is characterized by a “popping” sound (called a cavitation) that many people mistake for the “cracking” of bones. The popping sound is created by a shifting of gas and fluids (nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide) in the joint as it is opened, very much like the sound made when removing the top from a champagne bottle.

An adjustment should be given when the spine or extremity joints are associated with pain or when articulating joint motion has been compromised. This is what we call a subluxation. If subluxations are found, immediate correction is generally indicated. Just like cavities found in teeth, subluxations are not always painful during the initial stages, even those who are not experiencing back or neck discomfort should receive periodic spinal checkups.