During the adjustment, you may be asked to lie down on 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 the movement of the spine 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, the chiropractor will most often place you in certain postures for treating 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 the 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. The reported adverse effects were documented in a randomized controlled trial comparing spinal manipulation with spinal mobilization as a treatment for neck pain. 43 of the 280 patients, 30%, reported at least one adverse effect. Patients who had their spine manipulated were more likely to experience adverse effects than patients treated with mobilization, a more gentle manual technique preferred by many osteopaths.
The most common side effects were increased pain, headache, tiredness and pain irradiation. During a chiropractic adjustment, your chiropractor will offer you a unique treatment to meet your needs. The best chiropractic approach for a person may depend on their circumstances and the reason they are receiving treatment. On the other hand, skill is a quality that is not easily controlled in this type of research; even some chiropractors may be more skilled than others.
After learning more about your symptoms and what could be causing your discomfort, your chiropractor will develop a unique treatment plan based on the findings of the exams and the results of your tests. Before receiving chiropractic treatment, people must obtain medical authorization from a doctor or their primary care physician and undergo a thorough evaluation and speak with a licensed professional. The chiropractor will use their hands or small instruments to apply a quick and controlled force (amount of pressure) to a joint or gently stretch the joints beyond their normal range of motion. All reports, regardless of the language of publication, containing data on the risks associated with spinal manipulation were included, regardless of the therapist's profession or the research methodology used for the report.
Some people choose to have a chiropractic adjustment if they want an alternative form of treatment that doesn't involve taking prescription medications. A chiropractic adjustment can help reduce pain, correct body alignment and physical functioning of the body. The ideal frequency of chiropractic adjustments can depend on many factors, such as the reason for the treatment, the person's age, and more. This results in a transient stretching of the joint capsules, which, according to chiropractic belief, restores the position of the spinal cord and nerves, allowing the nervous system to function optimally and improving efficiency biomechanics of the body.
The chiropractor will use pressure to manipulate the joints of the body to realign the spine and reduce pain and discomfort. Every person seeking a chiropractic adjustment has a unique reason for coming to the consultation, but all chiropractic adjustments they treat the musculoskeletal system.
