Read on to find out is upper cervical Chiropractic dangerous or if neck adjustments are dangerous, and how to find the best option for your case.
I will say now, I would not recommend letting your barber, hairdresser, masseur, friend, aunt, pet, TCM, physiotherapist, boss or anybody else without a proper qualification try to adjust or ‘crack’ your neck. This is not to say these people aren’t all highly skilled, intelligent and very good at what they do. However, it is better to leave this to the professionals.For example, I myself have trained for 5 years attaining my masters as a Doctor of Chiropractic, I have undergone internships, mentorships, seminars and training across Europe, America, Australia, Singapore and Philippines. In this time my focus has always been Subluxation (misalignments of the Upper Neck) and how to properly treat them. In this time I have also acquired some knowledge on muscle techniques and nutrition, BUT I would still recommend seeing the appropriate professional for these subjects (a physiotherapist and nutritionist, respectively) as it is not my speciality! The reason I would advise against seeing anybody but a trained professional that specialises in adjusting the neck is that in those cases it can be dangerous. I had a case a number of years ago where a patient presented with neck pain and low back pain. I did a number of tests and sent for x-rays to confirm findings and ensure safety before starting any treatment. When he returned for his results he informed me he had been for a massage, they ‘cracked’ his neck and now he was having weakness in both his legs. I explained to him that based on his x-rays NOBODY should be adjusting his neck, less somebody who had little experience and had done no analysis.
While not all cases are as severe, I do regularly see cases where someone without training or testing performs a cracking manuoeuvre and it worsens the patient’s condition.Read more about the Guidelines for Care, here.