When someone is suffering from neck pain, back pain or headaches, they often seek the help of a chiropractor. Are chiropractic adjustments safe? They certainly don’t come without risks, just like any other medical procedure, but those risks are minimal and generally uncommon. The following are some things you should know regarding safety and chiropractic adjustments.

Who Should Perform Your Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustments become unsafe when they are performed by someone other than a trained and licensed professional chiropractor. You may have seen someone cracking their own neck or popping someone else’s back. The problem with these situations is each vertebra can move in 16 different directions. You and your untrained friends and family members don’t know which direction to move which vertebra in order to treat a specific issue.

When you need an adjustment, you should always seek a professional chiropractor. He or she will have the education and experience necessary to determine exactly how your body should be adjusted. Simply seeing the right professional dramatically decreases the risks.

When You Should Not Seek Chiropractic Care

There are some health issues that may suggest you not seek chiropractic care. It’s important you speak with your chiropractor about the following conditions before he or she completes any adjustments.

  • Upper neck bone abnormalities
  • Severe osteoporosis
  • High risk of stroke
  • Tingling or numb arms or legs
  • Spinal cancer

In most cases, a chiropractor will not adjust you if any of these conditions are present because it will turn your situation dangerous. Instead, take the proper action to get healthy, then visit your chiropractor again to see if it’s safe to be adjusted at a later time.

When Pain Becomes a Problem

Almost all chiropractic adjustments will come with a little soreness. It’s the same type of pain someone feels after doing a vigorous workout. It may feel uncomfortable for a day, but it wears off and feels good in the days following. If you feel any sharp pains during or after your adjustment, you should say something to the chiropractor right away. If the soreness you feel doesn’t go away after just a few days, possibly even getting worse as time goes on, it’s worth speaking up about that as well.

Getting Your Appointment Scheduled Today

Chiropractic adjustments are safe when they are done by the proper professionals under the right circumstances. If you feel you could benefit from chiropractic care, or for answers to any questions you might have, contact a chiropractor and schedule your appointment today.