What is the cracking noise that often occurs with manipulation?
Often when a joint is manipulated, it makes a “popping” sound. There is fluid inside all joints, and within this fluid there are bubbles. When the manipulation is performed, the bubbles pop, producing an audible sound. Although this is not necessary for manipulation to be effective, it is simply the sound of the joint suddenly moving or releasing from its restricted state. Will manipulation hurt? Most of the time, manipulation is very comfortable. Slight to moderate discomfort has been reported in about 1/3 of patients, with 10% reporting more noticeable discomfort. In the majority of cases, any discomfort that does occur is gone within 24 hours. How long does chiropractic care take to work? This is a very commonly asked question, and unfortunately, there is no one simple answer to this because the amount of time needed for recovery is variable, not only for each different condition, but also for each individual patient. Generally speaking, conditions that have been present for a longe
