Should I Worry About My Neck Cracking? - Spine-health

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Should I Worry About My Neck Cracking?

By: Michele Perez, MD, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physician

It’s a common occurrence: You twist or tilt your head to the side and your neck cracks.

You may be wondering why your neck does that and—more importantly—is it something to be concerned about?

Medical illustration of the gas bubbles within the cervical facet joints that lead to crepitus
Neck cracking and grinding is thought to occur when structures in the cervical spine rub together and make sounds. One suggested cause of neck crepitus is the formation and collapse of tiny gas bubbles, caused by pressure changes within the joint. Read Neck Cracking and Grinding: What Does It Mean?

Rest assured that, in most cases, neck-cracking is nothing to worry about. However, there are a few exceptions when popping or grinding in the neck may be a sign of a larger problem, so it’s worth learning about the signs of unhealthy neck cracking.

See Neck Pain Symptoms

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Crepitus: harmless joint cracking

Any time a joint in the body creates a cracking, popping, or grinding sound or sensation, this is known as crepitus. Experts believe that crepitus is caused by gas bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint either bursting or being formed.

See Causes of Neck Cracking and Grinding Sounds

Crepitus is considered harmless, and studies have not shown any evidence that it can cause joint damage or raise risk for arthritis.

A surefire sign that a neck crack is the result of crepitus is to repeat the movement that caused it and see if it occurs again. If not, the crack was probably crepitus—it takes about 20 minutes for the gas bubbles to reform.

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Watch Video: Why Do My Joints Crack?

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When neck cracking should be a concern

There are a few instances in which neck cracking should be a cause for concern.

See When Neck Cracking Needs Medical Attention

In addition to gas bubbles, popping or grinding in the neck can also be caused by dysfunction or damage in a cervical joint. This damage may be caused by an acute injury or by degeneration over years of wear and tear (osteoarthritis).

See Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease

Fortunately, there are signs to help indicate when neck cracking is more than benign crepitus:

  • Cracking that repeats every time you move a certain way, or nearly every time
  • Cracking that’s accompanied by pain or swelling
  • Cracking that starts following an accident or surgery that affects the cervical spine

If you experience any of these types of neck cracking, make an appointment with your doctor so your symptoms can be properly diagnosed.

It’s good to err on the side of caution when you’re concerned. But keep in mind that most cases of neck cracking, when not accompanied by other symptoms, are harmless.

Learn more:

Neck Strengthening Exercises

How Poor Posture Causes Neck Pain

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Dr. Michele Perez is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She is a member of Resurgens Orthopaedics and has more than 17 years of experience with non-surgical spine care and electrodiagnostic medicine.

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