Can I Adjust Myself?

This morning, a practice member who had just completed his pre adjustment warm ups said with a smile on his face, “hey doc, I got some “pops” in my back doing the roll this morning, maybe I should buy one of them and get rid of you!.”  While Tom was poking a little fun, he was also, albeit subtle, asking “can I adjust myself?  Given how often I hear this question in some form or another, I thought now would be a good time to address it.

The short answer is no and here’s why.  While it is possible to turn or bend or twist in certain ways to create a “popping” sound that sometimes accompanies a Chiropractic adjustment, it is virtually impossible to adjust yourself correctly and accurately.

The Chiropractic adjustment is a specific force, applied in a specific direction to a specific joint with the intent of restoring normal alignment and function.  This in turn allows the nerve system connections to communicate a normal flow of life energy between our brain and body which then allows us to resume our natural state of ease. 

Unfortunately, the kind of popping Tom was referring to is a type of joint manipulation that can be counterproductive, often making an already unstable spine even more unstable not to mention in rare occasions it can be dangerous. What tends to happen is that through some form of stress or trauma, a portion of our spine locks up and stops moving. The strain this eventually places on nearby vertebrae and nerve tissue is such that they become lose and unstable leading to the earlier described “popping.”  

Keep in mind that everything happens for a reason and should you experience this “popping” in your spine, it’s a definite sign you should have your spine and nerve system professionally evaluated to make sure your natural state of health is not being obstructed.  The time spent will be well worth it as adjusting the spine is not for amateurs!