Can I Perform My Own Chiropractic Adjustments?
It’s a typical weekday morning, and you’ve just woken up with a stiff neck and an incredibly tight middle back. You could call your favorite chiropractor in Lewisville, TX, and schedule a quick adjustment — after all, it’s been a few weeks since you last had one. But instead of doing that, you think, “Ah. I’ll just do my own chiropractic adjustment! Or maybe I’ll have my spouse do it for me.”
So you lean your neck to the left, pull your shoulder down just enough, and “pop!” Instant relief. Next, you cross your arms across your chest and ask your spouse to wrap their arms around you from behind and lift you off the ground.
Ahhhhh … three or four more satisfying popping sounds.
“That wasn’t so hard,” you exclaim. And off you go to have another amazing day.
While we are happy that those self-care methods worked for you on the fly this time, they aren’t recommended. And we certainly don’t want you to start believing they can be a long-term replacement for regular visits to the chiropractor.
Here are a few quick reasons why:
You could accidentally hurt yourself (pinched nerve, joint strain, muscle tears, overstretched ligaments, lack of mobility, etc.).
Even if it feels good, you might unknowingly make your symptoms worse.
You’re not fixing the underlying condition.
What you’re doing might only provide temporary relief.
What Chiropractic Adjustments Are Meant To Be!
When performed by our very own Dr. David Ravdin at Compassion Family Chiropractic, chiropractic adjustments include a series of small, gentle, and specific adjustments that correct the root issues of your pain and dysfunction throughout the entire spine and re-train the body to stay in better alignment. These adjustments are performed by Doctors of Chiropractic. We go through stringent education and training to earn our license — including an average of four years of post-undergraduate studies, a year of clinic requirements, and a four-part board examination.
Since chiropractors are so highly trained, they know how to effectively apply force in specific directions to a specific joint and may even use different methods (manual adjustments, instruments, etc.) to provide the most beneficial result with each adjustment. In other words, they may not use the same approach every single time — making it nearly impossible for you to perform your own adjustments.
The bottom line is that most everyone requires chiropractic adjustments for different reasons. Yours might be because you woke up with a stiff neck and tight back. For someone else, it might be chronic headaches, shoulder issues, or old injuries that never healed.
Chiropractors can resolve these dysfunctions and more through trained methods because chiropractic improves how your entire body functions.
As a result …
Your posture can improve
You can experience less pain
Many of the conditions you’ve faced can become less frequent
Your body as a whole can move and function better
Can you find relief by performing your own “adjustment?” Sure. But you may not find as much relief as you think you will. You may even hurt yourself in the process. And if that doesn’t happen, your body will likely fall back into old patterns, movement, and muscle memory — especially if it’s been a while since you had a trained professional diagnose your condition and develop a quality treatment plan.
What Self-Care Can I Perform Instead?
Great Question! We recommend many self-care options to our practice members in between chiropractic adjustments at Compassion Family Chiropractic. These include any of the following:
Daily exercise to build strength and flexibility and promote weight loss
Dynamic stretching to reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility
Choosing healthier eating habits
Avoiding foods that may be contributing to your dysfunction
Avoiding sedentary lifestyles
Being aware of your posture (sit up straight and avoid slouching)
Core-strengthening exercises (helps support your spine and improve posture)
If you need more specific guidance for your unique situation, just ask. We love helping people live healthier lives!
Want to know what chiropractic patients are saying about Compassion Family Chiropractic in Lewisville? Here are some reviews.
Call Compassion Family Chiropractic Today!!
At Compassion Family Chiropractic in Lewisville, TX, our goal is for you and your family to feel like a part of ours. On your first visit, you will be greeted by warm smiles and a whole team that is happy and willing to serve you. We aim to provide you with the most thorough and effective chiropractic care available while treating you with unparalleled service all along the way. We look forward to the opportunity to become your family’s home for chiropractic care in Lewisville!
Give us a call today at (469) 240-2322. To learn more about Dr. David Ravdin, click here.
