Chiropractic was created based off of adjusting the spine. The neck and back pain tend to be the most often treated symptoms in many chiropractic offices.
There are 33 vertebrae in the human spinal column. 24 of them are articulating and have separations by intervertebral discs.
The other 9 are fused in adults, 5 in the sacrum and 4 in the coccyx. There are 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, and 5 lumbar vertebrae.
The purpose of the chiropractic adjustment in the spine is to mobilize and re-align spinal segments, restoring the bio-mechanical functionality. This is accomplished by using a hands on thrust for most adults. Sometimes a lower force adjustment is preferred or recommended to achieve a similar result.
Neck and back adjustments are often associated with a “popping” noise which is normal. This sound is called a “cavitation” and is the result of a quick change in pressure in the spinal joints that have now moved.
Neck and back adjustments performed by a licensed doctor of chiropractic have a high success rate when treating neck or back pain. These adjustments have been shown to be very safe as well, even for pregnant women and children.
