What is that popping sound when I see my chiropractor?
One of the most common questions a chiropractor is asked is – “what is that cracking noise when I get adjusted?” Some people can even be concerned, they often wonder if anything is breaking.
No nothing is getting damaged!
The noise that you hear is called a “cavitation”. A cavitation happens when the surface area and the volume of the joint is changed. I like to explain it like this. When you open up a can of pop, there usually is a “popping” noise. The reason that happens is the can is under pressure. The gas inside the can is trying to escape. When you open it up, the volume is increased, and a noise results as the gas trapped inside the can is released. So when a subluxated joint is corrected, the volume of the vertebral joint changes, and as a result gas is released in the same way as the can of pop.
