Why Does it Feel Good To Crack Your Neck and Back?
|
|
When you crack your neck and back, it often feels good afterwards, especially if there was a great deal of tension or pain prior. The reason it feels good to crack your neck and back is because pressure is being relieved. Just as when any of your joints crack, gases are being released from within the synovial membranes. This release can cause a temporary relief of pressure or pain. In most cases though, the pressure or pain will return.
Many people can forcibly crack their joints, even their neck and back. In some cases, such as when performing stretching or yoga exercises, natural movement may also cracking. You might also visit a chiropractor who will crack your neck and back through a series of manipulations. While these manipulations can relieve pain and pressure in the back or neck, there are some studies that indicate cracking the neck may be linked to an increased risk of stroke.
If you forcibly crack your neck and back frequently, especially as a means to relieve pressure and pain, you might consider visiting a chiropractor or a physician. In some cases, chronic neck cracking can lead to loss of elasticity in the ligaments, which forces the muscles to work harder and tire easier. This happens when the joints are forced beyond normal range of motion and the ligaments stretch out over time. When they do not return to normal, this causes a condition known as hypermobility.
When you crack your neck and back, you should avoid forcibly stretching your joints beyond normal range of motion. Since there is some research that indicates cracking joints can lead to arthritis, it may be best to avoid forceful cracking. If you experience frequent neck and back pain, which may or may not be relieved when you crack your neck and back, you should visit a doctor. There could be underlying causes, including injury or a degenerative condition.
|
Related wiseGEEK articles
Category
wiseGEEK features
Subscribe to wiseGEEK
|
20
The very word "subluxation" is flat out quackery. Superstitious thinking. - anon53386
19
I often have tension in my neck and it feels really tight, so I just do that exercise when I roll my head around and then I look to left and then the right. My neck pops and it feels better, but it comes back. Do I need to see someone? - anon52741
17
I’ve been doing it too long. I didn’t know so many people have the same problem., I do it from built up tension. I’m sorry to say that I can crack every joint in my body all alone with no help. I’m 42 now and I’ve been cracking my neck, back, fingers and toes, knees and elbows on a daily basis for 30 years and I can feel something going on with my neck now. I’m trying to quit and it’s very hard, but I’m going to keep trying. my best advice is don’t go on with it for too long if you’re young. you will thank yourself later. trust me. - anon48328
16
I am 28 years old and have twisted and stretched my neck and spine regularly for as long as I can remember. Whilst it feels great and definitely causes pressure relief I have started to notice the sound in my neck is now a bit gristley and sounds like the joints and grinding. I wonder if this is from my habit? - anon48261
15
I've been in numerous accidents. I've had very bad whiplash, and have dealt with major pain and stress for the last eight years for a number of different reasons.
As a heads-up for any other chronic neck cracker, I believe some of this is addiction. I crack my neck almost every day as it gets really painful without it, but I also noticed sometimes if I forced myself to stop I seemed to stop needing it and the pain or discomfort subsided.
On the other hand the day after drinking too much or when i really stress my body out I get crazy pain in my back and neck. Then a day or two later, when I'm feeling rested and recharged my neck pops so loud with this kind of echo sound and it feels so good all this relief at once. Which makes me think it may be something I just have to deal with because of prior injury.
In the end though I'm going to really pay attention now and stop cracking the joints to see if I can avoid it all together.
Oh and I'd say a visit to the chiropractor is long overdue as I've never been to one. - anon46501
14
please justify your statement, jeniifers. thanks. - anon45591
13
I crack my neck many times a day as it feels stiff if I don't. I just have to tilt my neck very hard and it cracks. Have been doing this since I was 15 (I am 19 now) and have no desire to stop as it is very uncomfortable if I try now. - anon45078
12
Cracking your joints on your fingers and toes is perfectly fine, it doesn't lead to arthritis or damage of your joints. However cracking your neck or your back, can only be done without any additional pressure. If you are going to crack your neck do it by tilting your head but *do not& use your hand to crack it, this leads to hypermobility. Chiropractic is something completely separate to cracking and popping, an adjustment is an adjustment and it may or may not include any cracks or pops. However one thing to keep in mind, if you believe that cracking your joints is going to cause you to get a disease or symptom, your body will accommodate the result on your body. So if you keep thinking that you're going to have joint problems due to what you're doing now, chances are you are going to develop join problems, but not from the cracking of fingers but rather the meaning you added to the event. Correct your thinking, because naturally you cannot develop problems from cracking your joints. Best Regards: Dr. Chen M.D. - anon43433
11
To be quite honest, I am an intense joint cracker, because I am always cracking my joints all over my body. I can crack the three levels of my fingers, my toes, my neck, my back time after time, my knees, also time after time, and many other joints. I just cannot quit, because I'd feel under too much pressure if I stopped cracking my joints. I am very worried about my future, and I cannot seem to stop cracking. My neck feels under pain all the time. I do not have to use fingers to crack it, I just push it in and then out, and I hear a popping noise, which gives me a release for two seconds or so. I just want to stop doing all of this cracking. Does anybody have a good method of stopping it? - anon42896
10
can some one tell me if cracking my neck by a chiropractor is ok or not since some studies say it relates to a stroke? - anon41967
9
I am a 30-year-old woman and i have been cracking my neck, back and shoulders since i had my severe car accident at age 16 years. after i was in the accident the insurance company told me to go to Chiro-Med. this was the worst mistake i had ever made. i believe it was because i went to the Chiropractor and he started the cracking of my neck, back and shoulders is why i feel the need to do it now. I believe if it had never been done i would not have had to continue this for 14 years. Take my advice or leave it. Chriopractors are bad for your bones. - anon41180
8
at least 15 times a day. yes 15 maybe even more I crack my back, neck, and knuckles intensely. I have been cracking my knuckles since i was 9, my back and neck cracking started in high school. i am now 19. I realize that i might be doing future damage to myself, but i don't know if its become a a common habit or a necessity. It's a huge wake up call though, I need to stop. - anon39355
7
Chiropractic is not simply "cracking" of joints. The chiropractor is manipulating the bones into spine back into place to correct a misalignment/subluxation. A cracking sound will often occur as the bone moves back into proper alignment. This is different than just cracking a joint to relieve pressure. - anon39256
6
I am 33 years old. I have a very stiff back. Not even a chiropractor can crack my upper, middle, or lower back... When I was 18, I was in a car accident. Someone rear-ended my car while I was at a stop light. They were traveling 50 mph. Needless to say, it was an intense accident. I was luckily at the time driving a commercial 10 passenger van. The van was totaled and I was pushed into the intersection. My rear view mirror flew and broke one of the back windows on the van. Luckily again, I was wearing my seat beat. I had no major injuries because of the seat belt except for I suffered severe whiplash.It caused the ligaments in my neck to be stretched beyond repair. I now suffer from chronic neck pain caused by my muscles over exerting themselves in my neck, middle spine, and shoulders. I feel intense pressure to crack my back at times but like I said not even a chiropractor could crack it. However, when they crack my neck (since the ligaments have been already damaged) I feel absolute relief and pressure for about 2 days. Then, the pain and stiffness returns. In my personal opinion, these bubble releases in my neck bones are what gives me relief. They must somehow build up and overpressure the tissues around my damaged neck tendons. Then the cracking releases them, it takes awhile for the pressure to build back up... - anon32911
5
Anyone who *knows* what they are talking about, as written above, the constant "cracking" or "popping" of the back, or other joints can lead to hypermobility, the losening of ligaments and pain.I was in a car accident and now have a bulging disk. They didn't MRI me immediately thinking the pain would go away. I was "adjusted" and "cracked" by a physical therapist. Now my back hurts all the time and pops regularly, but I didn't even go that often, no more than 2 times a week. Could this be hypermobility? or just me thinking too much and not understanding that I was indeed in an accident? Please someone educated give me your best shot. Back Pain Sufferer, P.S what could and should I do? As of now, I'm just waiting for a recent round of facet shots to work, so far they have not. - anon30034
4
Im 14 years old and have been cracking my back since i was 12. I get mum to push on my spine which makes a clicking noise.It seems to relieve pressure but i still have a dull ache in the middle of my back.Do i need to see a professional for some sort of treatment?. I also feel the need to crack my knuckles and elbows(i have been doing this since i was at least 10) is all this cracking going to cause me any harm in the future? - salsabulldog
2
So is back cracking okay? - anon20582
1
The most recent research seems to indicate that cracking joints does not, in fact, cause arthritis. - jennifers
|
Written by
J. Beam
Last Modified: 20 November 2009
copyright © 2003 - 2009
conjecture corporation
