Chiropractors make adjustments to improve alignment and alleviate pain, but these adjustments can also cause muscle strain or nerve damage. During the adjustment, you may be asked to lie down at a specially designed table. By placing the hands in precise places and performing controlled movements, the chiropractor works on one joint at a time. This is to help improve movement and ease pain.
Chiropractic
adjustment is a procedure in which trained specialists called chiropractors use their hands or a small instrument to apply controlled force to a spinal joint.The goal of this procedure, also called spinal manipulation, is to improve spinal motion and the body's ability to move. Low back pain, neck pain, and headaches are the most common reasons people seek chiropractic adjustments. You don't need to do anything special before a chiropractic adjustment. During a chiropractic adjustment, most of the time your chiropractor places you in certain poses to treat affected areas.
You're likely to lie face down on a special padded chiropractic table. Using their hands to apply controlled force to a joint, the chiropractor pushes the joint beyond their usual range of motion. You may hear popping or crackling sounds when the chiropractor moves your joints. during the treatment session.
Some people have mild side effects for a few days after the chiropractic adjustment. These may include headaches or pain in the parts of the body that were treated and being tired. Chiropractic adjustments can ease lower back pain. Depending on the cause of your lower back pain, you may need several sessions.
Research shows that spinal manipulation works to treat certain types of low back pain. Some studies also suggest that chiropractic adjustments may work for headaches and other spine-related conditions, such as neck pain. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenues support our nonprofit mission.
Donate to our 2025 campaign to cure cancer and transform the way cancer is treated and defeated. Chiropractic treatments can cause mild and temporary side effects, such as discomfort, stiffness, or headache. Rarely, people also report serious episodes, such as spinal cord injury, arterial dissection, and stroke. What about risks? Prospective research on chiropractic risks is scarce.
The best methodological studies show that approximately 50% of all chiropractic patients experience mild and transient adverse effects, such as localized pain. 11 In addition to these minor events, dramatic complications have been observed with some degree of regularity. 12 These complications usually involve manipulation of the upper spine, which has been associated with strokes. To date, it has not been possible to identify risk factors.
13 As a result, virtually everyone who receives chiropractic treatment is at risk. The main disadvantage of chiropractic care is that there is a general lack of scientific consensus on the effectiveness of chiropractic care. Many critics argue that more research is needed to establish its usefulness for many conditions. The authors conclude that the risk of serious adverse events with spinal manipulation is very low, although the risk of less serious events is more common.
While no serious side effects were reported, about 10% of people who received chiropractic care described adverse effects (primarily joint or muscle stiffness). Five percent of people who received regular care had similar complaints. Like most treatments, chiropractic care comes with its own risks. However, these risks can be significantly reduced if you see a licensed chiropractor. Extreme risks related to chiropractic care are unlikely, but they include bone damage, strokes, and more.
While chiropractic care primarily involves manipulating the spine, neck adjustments are also often part of chiropractic care. Neck adjustments are more delicate and carry more risks. And then there's the financial side of things. While chiropractic care may seem inexpensive at first, it's not uncommon for several sessions to be needed for proper treatment.
If multiple sessions are needed, bills can accumulate over time.
