What happens when you get your neck adjusted?

In the course of being treated by a doctor of chiropractic for spinal derangement or subluxations, certain reactions may be experienced by the patient receiving the chiropractic adjustment.

Reactions following a chiropractic adjustment vary greatly from person to person. These may range from a great sense of exhilaration immediately following the adjustment, to a feeling of aching and soreness.

The most common reaction to spinal manipulation is aching or soreness in the spinal joints or muscles. If this aching or soreness occurs, it is usually within the first few hours post-treatment and does not last longer than 24 hours after the chiropractic adjustment. An ice pack often reduces the symptoms of this chiropractic technique more quickly.

See Chiropractic Treatments for Lower Back Pain

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On the most extreme side of chiropractic-related problems, vascular accidents have been reported and critics of chiropractic medicine use this by recommending no spinal manipulation of the cervical spine. One possible serious complication of chiropractic neck manipulation is a vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) stroke.1

See Chiropractic Manipulation for the Cervical Spine

The alleged association between and chiropractic visits was recently compared and contrasted with primary care physician (PCP) visits and vertebrobasilar articery stroke. According to the authors of this particular study:

• There was "no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic care compared to primary care."2
• The alleged correlation more likely had to do with patients seeking chiropractic treatment of already-existing VBA symptoms (headache and neck pain) before the stroke took place.2

See What Is Causing My Neck Pain and Headache?

Critics of cervical manipulation emphasize the possibility of serious injury, especially to the brain stem. While this is a possibility, documented reports of the incidence of this are very rare.

While no studies have been done to determine the actual rate of stroke following chiropractic neck manipulation, several authors have reported a very infrequent incidence rate of vascular accidents during chiropractic adjustment treatments that include statements such as, "there is probably less than one death of this nature out of several tens-of-millions of manipulations."3 Similar low risk of cervical manipulation problems after a chiropractic visit is reported by others.4-6

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In the hands of experienced chiropractors, cervical manipulation usually renders beneficial results with few adverse side effects.

With that in mind, discussion concerning reactions to spinal manipulation from the chiropractor is encouraged between the patient and the treating doctor. Obtaining consent for chiropractic adjustment is recommended in writing once questions are addressed by the chiropractor.

See How To Select The Best Chiropractor

Do you suffer from recurring neck pain? If you have never tried chiropractic care, it might be time to weigh your pain relief options and consider the benefits of chiropractic neck adjustments. These all-natural treatments are designed to help your neck heal and provide long-term relief. But why, exactly, is this an ideal treatment option? And what about those recent headlines about neck adjustments?

At Ringer Chiropractic, we want every patient to be fully informed and prepared for their chiropractic care. If you have seen headlines or heard rumors about chiropractic safety risks, we take those concerns seriously, and we want to help restore your peace of mind. Fortunately, our whole wellness philosophy is designed to minimize risks and avoid the complications associated with traditional treatment approaches. Your safety always comes first.

So, why is chiropractic safe as a treatment approach for neck pain? Let's take a look at your treatment options.

All-Natural Benefits and Risks of Neck Adjustments

Neck adjustments are all-natural alternatives to surgery and pharmaceuticals, and only a chiropractor is qualified to perform them safely and effectively. These physical manipulations may involve special instruments or a traction table, or they may simply involve your neck and your chiropractor's hands. During each neck adjustment, our chiropractors apply thousands of hours of classroom learning and years of hands-on clinical experience to manipulate the vertebrae in very strategic, safe ways. They apply localized force to specific parts of the neck, in an effort to:

• Restore proper alignment of the neck and vertebrae
• Relieve pressure and tension
• Reduce muscle inflammation  
• Restore range of motion
• Eliminate tension or restriction in neck muscles

While chiropractic care has risks like any other human discipline, most of these risks are mild, rare, or both. For example, some patients may experience some soreness or stiffness the day after their adjustment, as their muscles recover and readjust to the sudden movement. This is the same kind of soreness you experience after a good workout. Other immediate complications, such as arterial injuries, are simply associated with high-velocity neck movements in general and are more likely to occur in the car or shower than the chiropractor's office.

Health Risks of Other Neck Pain Treatment Options

If you care about risk factors, it is important to compare chiropractic neck adjustments to your medical treatment options. Prescription and over-the-counter painkillers merely mask the source of your symptoms while introducing new risks, and neck surgery is an invasive procedure with its own risks and recovery requirements.

When we weigh chiropractic risks against the following medical risks, the difference is clear.  

Addiction – Opiates are highly addictive painkillers that only offer short-term relief from neck pain while increasing your risk of addiction and other pharmaceutical side effects. If you rely on strong painkillers for your neck pain, it is very important to get effective corrective care.

Pharmaceutical Side Effects – In fact, even over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatories may cause side effects that range from mild (dizziness or fatigue) to life-threatening (internal bleeding and organ damage). If you use OTC pills long-term for neck pain, it is another good sign that the source of your neck pain isn't actually being treated anyway.

Surgical Complications – Surgery may not be necessary after chiropractic intervention, which is important because surgery mistakes and complications carry far more serious consequences. Sometimes complications actually occur afterward too, because the neck muscles can't be used during recovery. Deconditioning, atrophy, bone mineral loss, and other side effects may slow down your healing time and reduce your neck's function.

Post-Op Infection – Invasive surgery exposes the body to infection risks as well, especially if you get neck surgery in a hospital environment.

Anesthesia Risks – Anesthesia is necessary for invasive neck procedures, but anesthesia carries its own medical risks, especially for patients with cardiovascular conditions.

Our Commitment to Chiropractic Safety

At Ringer Chiropractic, our integrated team of medical doctors, chiropractors and therapists are all committed to the safety and satisfaction of each patient. Our goal is to help you achieve your own wellness goals, with all-natural and low-risk treatment techniques that encourage your body to heal. Serious complications from neck adjustments are very rare, but immediate pain relief and long-term healing are very common.

Contact Ringer Chiropractic for Neck Pain Relief

If you have neck pain because of an injury or recurring condition, call Ringer Chiropractic today at (209) 835-2225to make an appointment with one of our Tracy chiropractors.