Have you seen videos on YouTube of chiropractic adjustments? Most people have as there are videos out there that have hundreds of thousands of views. If you have never been adjusted, seeing these videos may leave you wondering, Are chiropractic adjustments painful? 

Chiropractic adjustments look like quick, aggressive movements that create a lot of popping noises. How good can that feel? It has to be painful right?

The Adjustment

Chiropractic adjustments may look scary on video, but I am here to assure you they feel amazing! Chiropractors undergo almost 4 years of training before we are unleashed on the public. During this time we spends hundreds of hours perfecting our adjusting techniques. The adjustments we provide in our office are extremely specific to the areas that need it. They are safe, gentle, and yes, sometimes noisy.

The purpose of the adjustment is not to hear cracking or popping noises. The goal is to restore normal motion to the joint being adjusted. Sometimes it makes noise, and sometimes not. The end result we seek is putting movement into the joint.

The Cracking Noise

The noise you may hear sometimes during an adjustment is the release of built up air pressure. If a joint is not moving properly, air gets trapped inside of that joint space. When we restore the motion through a specific adjustment it releases that air pressure which creates the cracking noise. This process is very similar to opening a can of pop. That popping noise as the can opens is the gas pressure inside of the can being released.

Are chiropractic adjustments painful? The answer is no, they feel amazing and release all the tension being held in the area of the adjustment. If you have not been adjusted I highly recommend you come see me so you can see how it feels.  Not only will you feel better, but you will also experience the health improvements that chiropractic is so famous for!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Bourdage