Addiction to popping my back and neck

lala26lala

I am a 26 year old female and I have a problem with cracking the left side of my neck, mid back and left arm.Those are the only joints of my body I feel comfortable to crack. I have had this problem since I was a teenager. It is sort of a release for me to crack those parts of my body. However it has started causing problems in my back and neck. I am a welder in my career, and I have noticed when I do overhead welding I have pain in those spots in my back and neck.
I have been seeing a chiropractor and massage therapist and it has been getting better through that, but I am still concerned only for my future career. I still can't stop popping those areas, its like an addiction because I think about it non stop. For instance when I am sitting there in traffic, I just tilt my neck to the side and let it go crack. Why is this? Also why am I only cracking in 3 particular spots? I never have the urge to pop my knuckles, toes or any other part. In fact I am a little disgusted to pop anything else other than what I mentioned. Is it stress related or what... any suggestions? Thanks!

GetSoda

Have you considered seeing a doctor?

steve_mfp

You need to stop cracking them. The popping is you either popping them out of place or back into place. The more you do it the 'looser' that area will become and the easier things will slide out of place.

Chiropractor is good as long as they are not popping things back in constantly because that's no different than what you are doing.

Massage is good because it will relax the muscles and this is what the real problem is. Joints come out of place typically because there is an imbalance with the muscles or one side is tighter than the other side.

Personally i'd recommend yoga...not the bastardized americanized yoga crap that is about stretching and doing it in 100 degrees. I'm talking about real yoga which teaches you to learn to breath properly and control your muscles. If you feel an actual stretch in yoga on your muscles then you are doing it wrong. Find a place that practices traditional yoga, also ask the instructor for specific postures for your condition so you can learn to relax those muscles and the body will naturally put itself back in place without a forceful pop.

When i had damaged my lower back i did specific postures twice a day to force the muscles to relax so my vertebrae could line up properly. I still maintain some of those postures daily for upkeep.