Traditional chiropractic care refers to the treatment of back pain through manual manipulation or “adjustment” of the spine. The typical spine manipulation or spine adjustment is a rapid movement of the vertebrae imparted by a practitioner when he/she quickly twists to the patient’s back or neck. This motion results in a rapid separation of the spinal joint surfaces. A popping or cracking sound in the spine will often accompany these adjustments. The audible sound of the pop comes from the joint fluid and the vertebral joint surfaces quickly pulling away from each other. This is similar to the way in which a suction cup makes a noise when it is pulled off a window. This rapid motion and the physical concussion or “pop” within the spinal joint affects the nerves in the joint capsule (soft tissues around the joint) and will often have a profoundly relaxing effect on the surrounding back muscles. This release of muscle tension can also be very pain relieving and can have a positive effect on the overall mechanics of the spine.

Many back issues involve muscle tension in and around the low back. This persistent tension disrupts the natural movements of the vertebrae in the spine. This disruption of natural spinal mechanics can affect nerves and other joints. In severe cases the alteration of one’s normal movement can be felt in the way that a stiff, sore back can throw off one’s standing posture and walking patterns. In other cases patients won’t know they are moving in dysfunctional ways until they get up from an adjustment and feel marked looser, more natural and relaxed.

The pain relief and the restorative effects of a spinal adjustment are often immediate. Spinal adjustments can also have a lasting effect on back pain as long as the back problem is an isolated event with only mild involvement of the discs and nerves. Unfortunately most back problems that actually drive someone to seek medical attention and/or chiropractic care are rarely insolated events and often have more than mild involvement of the discs, muscles and nerves. If this is the case then chiropractic care has limited long-term value unless it is used in conjunction with other therapies.

Patients can truly benefit from chiropractic care if they understand that the positive effects of spinal adjustments are simply one aspect of achieving back pain relief. For most back pain patients adjustments are a good first step toward lasting pain relief, however they are only a foot in the door. Most back pain only resolves permanently when the root cause of the problem is addressed.

Most chronic or recurring back pain has its origin in muscle imbalances around the hips and spine, core weakness and dysfunctional movement patterns that have become engrained. Spinal adjustments alone cannot address such problems. Other therapies that focus on stretching, strengthening and functionally retraining movement patterns are better suited than chiropractic care to addressing persistent back pain long term.