When your back is a little stiff, it’s tempting to twist and pull yourself until you hear that tell-tale crack. But while this self-adjustment might feel good in the moment, it’s not necessarily the best thing for your health. Instead, it’s better — and safer — to visit a chiropractor for a professional spinal adjustment. If you have a habit of cracking your back, West Chiropractic Clinic of Soldotna, AK, is here to highlight a few important reasons why you should reconsider the practice.

Chiropractors Explain Why You Shouldn’t Crack Your Own Back

Safety

When a chiropractor performs a spinal adjustment, they deliver a specific thrust of force to produce a familiar back-cracking sound. But unlike a do-it-yourself job, chiropractors aren’t just applying pressure until they hear a pop — a practice that can be fairly dangerous. When you try to adjust your own back, you risk affecting nerves, joints, and tissues that were otherwise healthy. In some cases, your own force may lead to serious injury.

Specializing in natural treatments for musculoskeletal health issues, chiropractors have a comprehensive understanding of the spinal column and how it associates with the rest of the body. As a result, they are able to safely apply pressure without causing harm.

Relief

Although an instantaneous pop can be a signal of relief, doing it yourself likely won’t deliver long-term benefits. In fact, if you cause harm to your back, you could end up making the pain worse. Chiropractors, on the other hand, know how to accurately diagnose the source of discomfort, allowing them to pinpoint the best area for treatment. Throughout their careful manipulation, these specialists do more than create a crack — they are able to provide long-term relief for painful issues such as pinched nerves and herniated discs.

Prevention

When you arrive for chiropractic treatment, your provider won’t only be looking at the area where you feel pain. Through their comprehensive assessment, these specialists will see how your entire body plays a role in your symptoms. With such a holistic approach, your doctor may be able to uncover and correct chronic problems that contribute to lower back pain, like poor posture. If you stick to your own treatment, you may never know what’s going on with your body and how you can prevent future issues.

If you’re in need of a professional spinal adjustment, look no further than West Chiropractic Clinic. Offering a variety of advanced chiropractic treatments, this specialist is able to address a variety of problems that cause lower back pain. In addition to back adjustment, this board-certified provider will also safely and effectively manage pain associated with other joints and tissues, including those in the neck, arms, or legs. Visit this chiropractor online to learn more about the clinic’s services, or call (907) 262-9171 to schedule a consultation. You can also find them on Facebook.