At Restore Health Collective in St. Johns County, I work with people who feel nervous about having their neck adjusted. Some have questions about the movement involved. Others have had an uncomfortable experience or simply prefer a different approach.
You do not have to arrive ready to agree to a particular technique. We start by listening and deciding whether care is appropriate for you.
Tell Me What You Are Concerned About
It helps to be specific. You can say, “I do not want my neck manually adjusted,” or “Please explain each step before you do anything.” You can also ask to discuss options before deciding whether to receive treatment.
I walk through the proposed care, explain what it involves, and discuss relevant benefits, risks, and alternatives. You can ask questions, decline a technique, or ask to stop. Feeling comfortable is part of the conversation, not something you need to push through.
What Other Options Might We Discuss?
The options depend on your symptoms, health history, examination, and preferences. Not every technique is suitable for every person or every area of the body.
Instrument-Assisted Adjustments
I use Activator, a small handheld instrument that delivers a controlled impulse, when appropriate. In my practice, I have used this approach with patients who were uncomfortable with manual neck adjustments. It still requires an assessment and an explanation of the proposed treatment.
Other Techniques and Supportive Care
Depending on your needs, we may discuss drop-table techniques for appropriate areas, soft-tissue work such as Graston, or tailored movement and therapeutic exercises. These are different tools with different purposes. They are not interchangeable substitutes for every condition.
We can also adapt positioning. For example, I have worked with older patients who found lying down difficult and needed changes to how the visit was carried out. The aim is to find an appropriate plan that accounts for the person in front of me.
Read more about the techniques and therapies available at Restore Health Collective.
The Examination Comes Before a Treatment Decision
A preference for a particular technique does not replace the need to understand your symptoms. At your first visit, we review your health history, previous injuries or surgeries, and goals. I assess your movement and use orthopedic tests selected for your concerns.
If your history or examination suggests you need additional evaluation, the next step may be imaging or referral to another healthcare provider. An adjustment is not automatically the right next step.
My first chiropractic visit guide explains the appointment in more detail, including timing and what to wear.
Does a Gentler Approach Mean There Are No Risks?
No technique should be described as risk-free. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that spinal manipulation can cause temporary soreness or stiffness and that serious complications have been reported. Neck manipulation has been associated with tears in neck arteries, which can lead to stroke, although the relationship is not fully understood.
Your health history matters. Discuss the risks and alternatives of the specific care being proposed, rather than assuming that a tool, a quieter treatment, or a smaller movement guarantees safety.
This article explains how we approach the conversation. It cannot determine which treatment is appropriate for you.
You Do Not Have to Work Toward a Manual Neck Adjustment
Some patients become more comfortable with different techniques over time. Others continue to prefer an alternative. A manual neck adjustment is not a milestone you must reach.
We review how you are doing at each appointment and reassess your progress as appropriate. Recommendations should reflect your response, goals, and preferences.
Further Reading
NCCIH: Spinal Manipulation, What You Need To Know. Background on evidence and risks. Practice examples in this article come from Dr. Spencer Tretter’s account of his approach to care.