The most important thing that happens to the body following an adjustment is the more normal movement of the joint, which restores normal brain-body, and body-brain communication. In normal circumstances, the spine is constantly feeding information about its movement and position to the brain. A tremendous amount of the brain’s functions are dependent on this normal communication from the spine for function. This is why so many disease processes come from vertebral subluxations (when the spine is out of alignment, not moving correctly, and blocking neural communication.
A chiropractic adjustment, as opposed to someone just “popping” a spinal joint, can only occur when a subluxation exists in that area. A proper adjustment restores more-normal movement to the area, moves it toward normal alignment, and restores normal brain-body and body-brain communication.
Most of the response from the adjustment cannot be felt by the person receiving it. The vast majority of the nerves involving the main neural highway between the brain and body are not “feeling” nerves. This is why you can’t feel or perceive in any way as the heart builds disease for some 20 years before finally reaching the “tipping point” resulting in a full-blown heart attack.
But what the patient often experiences is pain relief, better movement, and an overall sense of well-being from an adjustment. In my over 25 years’ experience, approximately 5-10% of the time the patient feels worse following an adjustment. Often when a joint has not moved properly for 10 or often many more years, getting it moving can be painful! Much as a person who sat on the couch for 10 years without exercising decided to get up and run a 35-minute 10K. This response can be normal and is usually short-lived. Possible soreness following an adjustment should never be a cause for alarm. The most dangerous thing is leaving the body that dysfunctional!