We’ve seen members in our centre ‘crack’ their neck to try to relieve pain or stiffness. We get questions like ‘ Can I crack my neck? Is it safe? Or dangerous?’ Some even thought that by simply ‘cracking’ their neck over and over again, their joint is re-aligned. This is a definite wrong assumption!
When you crack your neck, the action releases gas or fluid from the joints surrounding the neck. Yes the cracking, or cavitation, usually makes you feel better temporarily. However, it doesn’t alleviate the underlying problem. In fact, if you crack your neck incorrectly, too frequently, or too forcefully, it can actually cause more pain and discomfort than before.
Other than muscles or joints become strained, it can pinch the nerve in your neck, make it difficult to move your neck. Each time you forcefully move a joint, exceeded its normal range of motion, you actually overstretch the surrounding ligaments, which can cause them to elongate or sprain. This can cause ligament/joint instability and damaged ligaments since they’re not able to support and hold the joint in the correct position.
If you are constantly cracking your neck, pressure will build up in the joints. Other than causing unstableness in the surrounding ligaments, the cartilage in your vertebrae will also wear down at faster pace. You might have higher risk of developing neck osteoarthritis, which is serious, irreversible and painful. In worst case, cracking the neck too hard and too often can puncture the blood vessels in the neck, causing blood clotting, blocks blood flow and oxygen to your brain, which might increase the risk of stroke.
I can’t stop cracking my neck, what can I do?
Even though it gives temporary relief, cracking healthy joints too often can cause irritation. When you simply crack your neck, you are only getting to the most mobile joints, but not to the other ones that are truly stuck. That’s why you still feel like you need to continue cracking your back repeatedly. The urge to crack your neck/back frequently could be the sign of some underlying causes that may require treatment. If you feel that your spine is out of alignment, or if you have some discomfort/pain that you need to constantly crack your joint, it’s best to consult a professional to identify underlying factor and get the suitable care plan for yourself.
As a chiropractor, we adjust your misaligned joints to make sure they are back to correct position. This relieves the pressure in the spine or the pain in your body. We also give the advice on how to change your lifestyle, such as exercising, how to modify working ergonomic, and give you tips on how to reduce your pain at home. For those who frequently crack their own neck, chiropractic adjustment definitely help you feel less of an urge to crack your neck all the time. Instead of cracking your neck/back too often, do gentle stretches and exercises that we recommended, it definitely helps improve strength, flexibility, and posture. Call us now to schedule an appointment.
We hope you discover the best sleeping position for yourself, do let us know how we can assist you better for your condition.
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