Expert: Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman - 11/30/2007

Question
I have seen a few chiropractors over the years- (I am 36 and have never gone "regularly") and have always responded favorably, and never had any serious issues.  I have always practiced "self adjustments" on both my back and neck over the last 10 years as well.  Now to the problem--I have started having soreness almost to the degree of a sharp pain in my neck on the left side as though I had a "Crick in my neck" for almost 3 weeks.  I don't hold the phone on my shoulder or anything similar to that so there is no repetitive issues and there has been no trauma.  I have noticed when I turn my head I can hear a slight grinding sound and when I tilt me head up and to the left there is a very loud grinding and a sharp pain that runs into my shoulder.  I have left my neck alone (no self popping) and taken extra care to sleep in a proper position and the pain has reduced, but the grinding and pain are still there when I turn my head.
I plan to revisit my chiropractor but am wondering if I should see a specialists as I have been told that the vertebra in the neck disintegrate easily.

Answer
Dear Joe,

Well the first problem here is the fact that you, "self adjust"...there is no such thing...I can't adjust myself and have to have another doctor do it for me.  What you are actually doing is making the situation worse by "popping" the joints that are already hyper-mobile, while the fixated joints remain fixated.  This will create cartilage and ligament damage over the long term. Not to mention that I have seen more than 10 cases of people dislocating their necks because of trying to "self adjust" them.  Please don't ever do this again. Chiropractic physicians never manipulate a joint that is moving properly, and we are specifically taught how not to move the joint into a pathalogical range of motion.

Just curious...why would you think that you could replicate a spinal adjustment...something that takes years of training and practice to perfect, not to mention the clinical knowledge and judgement of whether it is appropriate to perform at all?  There are reasons why it takes a minimum of eight years of education to become a doctor of chiropractic...because spinal manipulation should not be performed by a layperson.

Listen Joe, I'm not coming down on you, but it is important that you realize the fact that you have probably created a significant amount of cartilage damage because of this.  The noise you have described is called crepitus and is usually the direct result of tissue damage and scarring...particularly cartilage damage.  Combined with the fact that you report pain that travels down to the shoulder makes me believe that there is nerve root inflammation/encroachment, and possible disk damage.

Listen i would recommend that you return to your chiropractor and give him/her all the information you have told me.  You should definitely have new x-rays, and a possible MRI if clinical testing warrants it.  By the way, to alleviate some of your fears, the vertebra in the neck do not disintegrate or degenerate easily, especially when adjusted properly, and this issue needs to be addressed by a professional.

Good Luck Joe!

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net