When someone is dealing with pain and subluxation, he or she may want to find the quickest way to relieve that pain. Is self-adjustment safe? How about asking a relative for help? The following are some things you should know.
Chiropractors Don’t Adjust Themselves
When a chiropractor needs an adjustment, he or she will go to another chiropractor. They have all the experience and knowledge required to get the job done on everyone else, but won’t do an adjustment on themselves. Why? Adjustments are very specific procedures. They require an exact direction of force. A chiropractor cannot place him or herself in the right position to complete those procedures with that force on his or her own body.
Self-Adjustments Don’t Work
Perhaps you’ve been “cracking” your back for years or “popping” your knuckles. Have you ever noticed yourself doing it again just 20 minutes later? This is because the adjustment you performed on yourself wasn’t an actual adjustment. It simply released endorphins, so after the rush wore off, you were uncomfortable again. A true adjustment will relieve the pain and discomfort long-term so you won’t have to get adjusted again 20 minutes later.
You Could Be Worsening the Problem
When people try to perform self-adjustments, they really don’t know what vertebra they are moving and where they are moving it to. There are 16 directions a vertebra can move, and only a chiropractor with the right knowledge can determine which direction it needs to move for pain relief and comfort. It’s possible that by cracking your own back, you are moving the vertebra further and further out of place. Yes, you’ll feel those endorphins kicking in making you feel good, but again, it’s only going to be a temporary fix.
Your Relatives Aren’t Chiropractors
Unless a friend or family member actually is a chiropractor, you should not ask them to pop your back either. There are many who will adjust each other when they get together for a friendly gathering, or who will adjust a player during a sporting event, but those are bad ideas as well. Your relatives also don’t know which way to adjust the vertebra, probably can’t tell which vertebra needs the adjustment, and could cause the issue to worsen.
Contacting a Chiropractor Today
Not even a professional chiropractor will adjust him or herself, so you shouldn’t do it either. Contact a chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Tacoma Park, MD, today to schedule an appointment for a professional adjustment.
Thank you to the experts at AmeriWell Clinics for their input into chiropractic care.
