Chiropractic Manipulation is also known as chiropractic adjustment, manual manipulation, or spinal manipulation. This treatment is the cornerstone of chiropractic care, and consists of manual dynamic thrusts to targeted areas in the back and neck. It increases range of motion, and reduces nerve irritability, subluxation (vertebral joint misalignments,) and pain.
Often referred to as “the crack,” a manipulation may cause an audible release of gases from within the joint. After an adjustment, the patient may experience a feeling of warmth, decrease in pain, a surge of energy to the area, or a sense of relaxation. Some patients may feel minor discomfort or stiffness after their first adjustment, feelings of fatigue, or may not feel any immediate sensations. Just as you may feel uncomfortable or not notice immediate improvement after starting a new exercise routine, the adjustment is starting you down a path to better health which may take a little while to feel outwardly. The adjustment causes changes in the body, correcting conditions that may have existed for years, and it may take time for the body to get used to those changes.