Don’t let your fear of the sound keep you from relief…
| We hear from interested folks, that the sound is what throws them off. “I can’t stand the thought of my bones popping” Speaking with my case manager last week, he was telling me about how he comforted patients by showing them the process of gas release during an adjustment. That’s the popping sound. A pressure gradient exists within each joint. Any manipulation of the volume within the space of the joint creates pressure that must release. This pressure release often (sometimes never) creates a sound when nitric oxide is released from the joint. Something to note is that the sound has nothing to do with the quality of the adjustment. In my 8 years of practicing there are some patients who never hear the that nitric oxide release. The improvement in mobility is still there but the pop isn’t always audible. Sometimes I hear patients say they went to someone else who couldn’t get them to pop and that’s not likely the case. Precise movement increasing the mobility of the joint is the goal, not the pop sound. Some people even hear those joints release after the adjustment when they’re getting in their car or something. “What about when I pop myself, Dr. Brad?” Well, adjusting yourself isn’t a problem so much as it’s an incomplete solution. When you’re adjusted, the specialized professional feels for where the joints are stuck and moves those. When you adjust yourself, you move only what’s already moving, pushing the moving joints off center with the stuck joint, thus wearing on those buffers between. Eventually people come in because their self-adjusting no longer gives them relief because they are just releasing gas and potentially reducing tension but they’re doing nothing to address the underlying issue. Each joint is protected by some degree of interrupting factor. Whether it be synovial fluid, cartilage, ligament, bursa, or meniscus. A stuck joint doesn’t slide freely over these protecting factors the way the mechanics are meant for it to. Stuck joints are held in place and wear on those buffers when walking or moving. This deteriorates those buffers until the bone is touching bone. The closer bone gets to the bone where inflammation is occurring, the body tries to stop the movement. First with tightening of the muscles. Later with bone spurs. Degeneration starts happening where body isn’t moving correctly. That is the foundation of chiropractic. Move the joints into alignment to protect the mechanisms and function of the body. Sound familiar? Have you wondered what chiropractors do? Did you think it was the same series of pops for everyone? Individualized care in our office is about optimizing the movement and function of your body and we believe you should know what’s going on and participate. After all we aren’t healing your body; its healing itself, but only if it’s able. |
