Dr. Philip Cordova is a chiropractor in Houston, Texas. More information about this Houston Chiropractor can be found on his website at http://www.MyHoustonChiropractor.com
At least once a month I get a question from a patient asking some version of "Why can't I just adjust myself?" And more often, I have patients that regularly do adjust themselves, particular grabbing their own head or neck and performing a maneuver that gives them a bunch of "cracks" and makes them feel like they've done something good.
There are probably more reasons than what I'll list here, but the answer is "no" you can't be your own chiropractor. You can be your own mechanic (to a point), you can be your own handyman (to a point), you might even be your own doctor at times, but you leave the more specific and more complicated tasks to the experts.
Getting a spinal adjustment is one of those complicated things that doesn't seem so complicated on the surface. What is it that the chiropractor is really doing? Why do I need to have a chiropractic adjustment, what's wrong with just twisting my own neck?
I think you'll agree that if you are trying to move your spine, you have determined that it is either not moving or it has moved out of place, right? If it can go the wrong direction and cause pain and discomfort, then it makes sense that if you move it further out of place you can make it worse. So... how do you know which way to move your vertebrae? The move that I see being performed is a "move everything and hope I get the right one at some point."
Each vertebrae can move up to sixteen different directions. Do you know which way your vertebra has gone? That's where the chiropractor comes in. They are trained to determined which way the bone has moved and how to move it back into the correct place. Some of the directions are extremely difficult to accomplish on your own. Chiropractors don't adjust themselves either!
The same principle that applies to adjusting yourself also goes for having someone "bear hug" you at a family gathering and having your kids walk on your back. It's just not specific and the person performing the "therapy" has no way of knowing which part of your spine needs to be adjusted.
The next question is "If I can't adjust myself, why does it feel better when I do it?"
You'll notice that when you do it, the good feeling doesn't last long. That's why you keep doing it over and over again during the day. You still get the endorphin release, so you'll temporarily get a influx of pain relief that makes you think you've done something good for yourself. However, you've more likely either moved something the wrong way or moved a different bone than the one that needs it. The pain and discomfort returns once the endorphins are gone and you're back to where you started.
In summary, you cannot be your own chiropractor. I know it can seem like a simple thing, but chiropractors are the experts at finding the right area of your spine to be adjusted and then moving it back the right way. See the experts!
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Medical cost spikes may cause health insurer pain : Lewis Krauskopf
- Nature’s Bounty and Pain in Joints
- Chronic Pain Relief Alternative
- 2 Essential Things To Look For In Best Fish Oil For Health That Never Fail - Expert Tips Revealed
- Magnetic Therapy the New Natural Health Treatment
- Interventional Pain Management: Approach to Chronic Pain
- The Health of Your Back Can be a Sign of Your Overall Health! Does Your Back Hurt? You May Need a Lifestyle Adjustment
- The Agony Matrix: Chronic Pain Syndrome



Faster Way Of Recovery By Using The One Minute Cure For Cancer
By: john daniel | 05/07/2009Faster Way Of Recovery By Using The One Minute Cure For Cancer find out why this therapy is being suppressed in the U.S. while more than 15,000 European doctors have been using it to heal millions of patients – and how you can use it, too.
The Alternative Cancer Therapy
By: john daniel | 05/07/2009The Alternative Cancer Therapy find out why this therapy is being suppressed in the U.S. while more than 15,000 European doctors have been using it to heal millions of patients – and how you can use it, too.
Alternative Cancer Treatment Part 2
By: john daniel | 05/07/2009Alternative Cancer Treatment Part 2 find out why this therapy is being suppressed in the U.S. while more than 15,000 European doctors have been using it to heal millions of patients – and how you can use it, too.
Oxygen Therapy And Cancer
By: john daniel | 05/07/2009Oxygen Therapy And Cancer find out why this therapy is being suppressed in the U.S. while more than 15,000 European doctors have been using it to heal millions of patients – and how you can use it, too.
Making Money With Your Blog
By: Leopoldo Hopper | 03/07/2009Secrets Of Pay Per Click Blogging Click HereBlogging for profit is a goal many people hope to be able to obtain. This undertaking isn't out of reach for somebody with eagerness to work and who has understanding of blogging. Blogging for profit is one of the fastest growing income opportunities online and shows no sign of slowing down. It is a cheap method of advertising for corporations that is extraordinar...
Acupuncture Weight Loss - An Ancient Way to Heal a Modern Problem
By: Ricky Lim | 03/07/2009Let‘s recognize it. These days, there are many overweight people around the globe. This is caused by our deskbound lifestyles and unhealthy, fatty foods. And eating well and exercising is apparently the surefire method to lose weight.
How To Make Money With Your Blog
By: Leopoldo Hopper | 03/07/2009Secrets Of Pay Per Click Blogging Click HereBlogging for profit is a goal many folks hope to be ready to get. This undertaking isn't out of reach for somebody with eagerness to work and who has knowledge of blogging. Blogging for profit is an example of the fastest growing income opportunities online and shows no sign of slowing down. It's an inexpensive methodology of advertising for corporations that is e...
Beat your drug test
By: mark flaming | 03/07/2009You can beat a drug test with proper knowledge and preparation according to that.
Get Healthy! - Just Do One Thing At A Time
By: Philip Cordova | 20/04/2008 | HealthSome say that if you're going to be healthy, you're going to need to make some drastic and huge changes in order to accomplish it. This is a formula for failure, making things so difficult for yourself that you won't be able to succeed.
Back Pain - How Much Do My Daily Activities Create The Pain?
By: Philip Cordova | 18/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsIf your back pain seems to keep showing up again and again. It's time to determine how much what you do all day is adding to your back pain problem.
Neck Pain After Extended Computer Use
By: Philip Cordova | 14/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsDoes your neck hurt after you use your computer? Is it hindering your ability to get your work done? A little work and a few stretches should take care of it.
Back Pain - How You Stand Gives It Away
By: Philip Cordova | 12/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsDo you find yourself more comfortable when you're not standing straight? Do you regularly experience low back pain? How you stand may give us clues as to what's going on.
Your Back Pain Just Started, But Your Back Pain Problem Began Long Ago
By: Philip Cordova | 11/04/2008 | Diseases & ConditionsYou may have just started feeling your back pain today, but chances are your back pain problem began a long time ago. What's the difference between a symptom and a problem?
Can You Exercise Your Way To Bad Posture And Back Pain?
By: Philip Cordova | 04/04/2008 | HealthIf you've decided to go to the gym to improve your posture and end your back pain, be careful of the exercises you choose and the activities you do. You may just be making things worse.
Taking Charge Of Your Health
By: Philip Cordova | 01/04/2008 | WellnessLearning to take charge of your own health is one of the best decisions you can make. How long will you wonder why you're not healthier and sit by hoping someone will tell you how to do it?