Neck pain can be bothersome, so it’s tempting to try a self neck adjustment at home. Many of us are in the habit of cracking our necks during a morning stretch or after a long day of working at a desk.

Neck stiffness can occur for many reasons including a long night’s sleep, lifting heavy objects, vigorous exercise, and working on a computer, among many others, and a quick neck stretch resulting in that familiar popping sound can provide some much-needed relief. 

If you simply turn your head gently and a popping sound occurs, you likely aren’t causing any harm to the health of your neck. However, if you have to contort your neck or push hard to achieve that joint pop and the feeling of relief, you may be putting the health of your spine at risk.

What is a self neck adjustment?

A self neck adjustment is the official term for cracking your neck at home without the help or guidance of a chiropractor. The popping sounds that you hear are the capsules around your joint being stretched and the fluid within them turning to gas as the pressure decreases.

Most studies suggest that gently cracking your neck once in a while probably won’t cause any harm, but it may not produce any real benefit either. If you tend to force your neck into an uncomfortable position to achieve the popping sound, you may be risking neck injury or even a pinched nerve.

Pinching a nerve can not only be extremely painful, but it can also decrease or even completely hinder the mobility of your neck and shoulders. Cracking your neck too forcefully can also strain the joints in that area of your body, making it difficult and painful to move your neck at all. Plus, the blood vessels in your neck can become punctured due to the forceful motion of cracking your neck, potentially causing dangerous blood clotting and restricted blood flow to the brain.

Why would you need a neck adjustment?

The primary reason people try to do a self neck adjustment at home is that they’re experiencing pain or discomfort in their neck. This is most often caused by being involved in a car accident. There are many different types of pain you can experience following an auto collision and dealing with the symptoms on your own is never the right thing to do. 

It’s no secret that car accidents can do a number on your life. Auto damage and other expenses can break the bank, while the impact itself can really put a strain on your body. Injuries sustained in a car accident often lead to chronic pain and discomfort, leaving you searching for a way to get back to your old self.

Here are the six types of pain you may experience after a car accident and how to address them.

1. Neck Pain

Neck pain is a common result of car accidents. This is because your cervical spine is not secured by your seat belts, leaving it vulnerable to a lot of movement when the car is hit. Whether it is from a spinal fracture or whiplash, your accident-related neck pain can be alleviated by chiropractic adjustments that get your cervical spine back in order. Never attempt to do a self neck adjustment at home.

The types of injuries you get from car accidents will vary based on the kind of accident you were involved in. Rear-end accidents, for example, tend to create conditions like whiplash. You may find yourself contending with whiplash when an accident forces your neck to move rapidly back and forth, much like the movement of a whip.

Whiplash does not always immediately assert itself after a car accident. Instead, you may leave the scene of an accident and not notice any neck stiffness until a few days have passed. It’s important you don’t ignore these conditions, though. Along with neck stiffness, a decreased range of motion in your neck can indicate that you need to see a chiropractor right away.

2. Back Pain

When you’re rear-ended in a car accident, your back may absorb much of the impact, which can result in chronic pain throughout the spine. Back pain can make it hard to walk, sit comfortably, or even bend over.

When you experience this type of pain, you may benefit from chiropractic treatment. A chiropractor can make adjustments in your spine that resolve the pain from the accident, helping to restore natural movements.

The most obvious sign that you need chiropractic care after a car accident is back pain. Your back pain may feel like an ache, sharp nerve pain, throbbing, or stiffness. Your spine and neck suffer from the impact of the accident, causing lasting pain afterward. 

It is important to receive care if you feel back pain after a car accident, even if the pain is manageable. If left untreated, car accident injuries to your back and neck can cause chronic problems. Just like a self neck adjustment, you should never try to fix your back problems on your own without professional help.

3. Shoulder Pain

Depending on the nature of the accident, you may experience pain in one or both shoulders. This is usually due to the impact on surrounding muscles in the arm, back, or neck.

When you experience shoulder pain like this, you can seek treatment through physical therapy or massage, which will alleviate some of the muscle distress.

4. Muscle Strain

In a bad auto accident, your entire body will likely absorb some of the impact. This can result in widespread muscle strain, leaving you with chronic pain throughout your body. Patients with muscle strain can experience great relief from targeted massage therapy.

5. Nerve Pain and numbness

When damage is done to any area of your body, it can compress the surrounding nerves. This can result in nerve dysfunction, but also nerve pain. Nerve pain can be relieved by resolving the damage done to the surrounding areas, either through chiropractic care or physical therapy.

Numbness and tingling are signs of spinal injury and should be addressed right away. When spinal nerves suffer injury, that damage can impact the nerve signals that travel throughout your body, often resulting in a loss of sensation or a tingling feeling. If you experience numbness and tingling in any part of your body after a car accident, you should seek chiropractic care. 

In some cases, numbness and tingling are indicative of permanent nerve damage. There are various chiropractic treatments for car accident injuries, but you should seek treatment earlier rather than later.

6. Headaches and migraines

One of the most worrying conditions to contend with after a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. These injuries are difficult to detect if you don’t display immediate symptoms or seek medical attention.

If you notice that you have a persistent headache after a car accident, get in touch with your general practitioner right away. Persistent headaches can be a sign of brain damage. Other signs of a traumatic brain injury include:

• Mood changes
• Nausea
• Slurred speech
• Changes in your vision

Migraines are a sign of back and neck injury after a car accident. The harsh blow of the accident can cause trauma to the muscles and nerves in your back and neck. You can also suffer from a concussion. 

These injuries can lead to migraines as the pain radiates from your back and neck into your head. Chiropractic care can mitigate the effects of car accident injury-related migraines.

Whatever you do, do not walk away from a crash without talking to a medical professional. The sooner you can determine what kind of condition you’re in, the sooner you can benefit from effective chiropractic treatment.

How can a chiropractor help?

If you tend to perform self neck adjustments at home often and suddenly find it difficult to achieve the relief you once did, a professional neck adjustment is in order. You should also schedule an appointment right away if you experience swelling, pain, or decreased mobility and range of motion in your neck. This is true whether you’ve recently been involved in an accident or the pain has appeared on its own.

A trained and experienced chiropractor can successfully manipulate your neck and spinal joints to ensure that your alignment is correct, as the inability to naturally crack your neck is often caused by spinal misalignment. Plus, regular chiropractic care can ensure that your spine remains healthy and pain-free.

What is neck self-adjustment?

Neck self-adjustment is the official term for cracking your heck at home without the help or guidance of a chiropractor. The popping sounds that you hear are the capsules around your joint being stretched and the fluid within them turning to gas as the pressure within them decreases.

Most studies suggest that gently cracking your neck once in a while probably won’t cause any harm, but may not cause any real benefit either. If you tend to force your neck into an uncomfortable position to achieve the popping sound, you may be risking neck injury or even a pinched nerve.

Pinching a nerve can not only be extremely painful, it can decrease or even completely hinder the mobility of your neck and shoulders. Cracking your neck too forcefully can also strain the joints in that area of your body, making it difficult and painful to move your neck at all. Plus, the blood vessels in your neck can become punctured due to the forceful motion of cracking your neck, potentially causing dangerous blood clotting and restricted blood flow to the brain.

How can a chiropractor help?

If you tend to crack your neck often and suddenly find it difficult to achieve the relief you once did, a professional neck adjustment is in order. You should also schedule an appointment right away if you experience swelling, pain, or decreased mobility and range of motion in your neck.

A trained and experienced chiropractor can successfully manipulate your neck and spinal joints to ensure that your alignment is correct, as the inability to naturally crack your neck is often caused by spinal misalignment. Plus, regular chiropractic care can ensure that your spine remains healthy and pain-free.