Can I Adjust My Own Spine?

When someone is stretching or bending in certain positions, they may hear or feel a “crack” or “pop” sound coming from their spine. I frequently get asked if they are adjusting their own spine. The quick answer to this question is no.

To fully answer the question, I have to let you into my thinking as a chiropractor when I approach patient care. The first thing is to determine where the problem is. It’s based on several factors; X-rays reveal misalignment, SEMG & Thermography referred to nerve scan, will show nerve tissue pressure and/or damage. Palpation (feeling abnormalities in the spine) will support the findings above. You can also observe the posture and bilateral weight difference of individuals to give more indicators on the effects of subluxation (misalignment). Once the area along the spine has been determined as subluxated, it now becomes a process to adjust it into the proper position. The way the body works is if you’re 30 lbs overweight and you want to lose it, you have to diet consistently over time. It’s a consistent directional effort to make that change. Much like a body builder who develops his muscles over time or someone who wears braces to straighten their teeth. It’s just the way the body responds. It takes time and consistency. When people think that the audible noise that happens when they stretch or bend is an adjustment. I have to remind them that the noise is NOT the objective. The process of taking pressure off the nerves by adjusting the spine in a specific direction based on x-ray findings is the objective. One of the easiest ways to see if the adjustments are effective is to take post x-rays at the end of the care plan and perform a nerve scan. Proper exercises must be incorporated with the adjustments to support the alignment. The most significant thing that happens by realigning the spine is the pressure and/or damage on the spinal nerves and spinal cord is slowly being taken off. This is significant because the life that controls all our healing in our body comes from the brain and is communicated through the spine to get to all the organs and systems that run the body. By stretching to a point where there is an audible, well... it’s just noise. There’s no directional realigning taking place. There would be NO post x-rays or palpation showing positive structural changes. Therefore there would be no pressure off the spine and nervous system. The real objective of chiropractic is to realign the spine and take pressure and/or damage off the nervous system. This is why people get relief from a wide variety of symptoms. The nervous system is what controls all the health and healing in our body. It’s the adjustments that allow that expression of life in our body. To find out more about what the “pop” or “crack” noise is, please read my blog entitled, What’s the “Pop” or “Crack” Sound?


Keys to health are: 1.) Optimizing the one thing that controls ALL health - an optimally functioning nervous system and spinal structure through chiropractic wellness care. 2.) Optimizing the nutrients you put in your body and avoiding non-nutritional based foods i.e. junk food. 3.) Exercising to keep the body young and active. 4.) Reduce stress. 5.) Avoid medication - get your body working so you never have to rely on medication.

Fimreite Chiropractic * www.DrFimreite.com