What Does a Chiropractor Actually Do? A Guide to Chiropractic Adjustments

On September 16, 2026

When most people picture a visit to the chiropractor, they probably imagine one thing: an adjustment.

Maybe you’ve seen videos online filled with dramatic pops and cracks. Maybe you’ve had an adjustment before and know how much more goes into the appointment. Or maybe you’ve never visited a chiropractor and aren’t quite sure what to expect.

So, what does a chiropractor actually do—and what is happening during a chiropractic adjustment?

At Thigpen Chiropractic in Augusta, GA, an adjustment isn’t simply about making something “pop.” Chiropractic care begins with understanding how your body is moving, what you’re experiencing, and which approach may be appropriate for your individual needs.

Let’s take a closer look at what that means.

What Is a Chiropractic Adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is a controlled technique applied to a joint with the goal of improving its movement and function.

While chiropractic care is most commonly associated with the spine, chiropractors evaluate the musculoskeletal system as a whole. Depending on your symptoms and examination, treatment may focus on different areas of the spine or other joints.

And importantly, not every adjustment looks or feels the same.

Different chiropractic techniques use different amounts of force, positioning, and equipment. Some involve a quick manual movement, while others use specialized instruments to deliver a much gentler correction.

That’s one reason choosing the appropriate technique for each patient matters.

What Actually Happens During an Adjustment?

Before an adjustment ever happens, your chiropractor needs to understand what they’re treating.

At Thigpen Chiropractic, that starts with an evaluation.

Your chiropractor may discuss your symptoms, health history, previous injuries, daily activities, and what you’re hoping to accomplish with care. They can then evaluate factors such as mobility, range of motion, posture, and how different areas of your body are functioning.

That information helps determine whether an adjustment is appropriate, where treatment should be directed, and which technique may be best suited to you.

Once that determination has been made, your chiropractor positions your body appropriately and applies a controlled movement or uses a specialized instrument to address the targeted area.

The entire adjustment itself may only take a moment.

But the decision behind it shouldn’t.

What Is That “Popping” Sound?

Let’s talk about the part everyone notices. The pop.

During some chiropractic adjustments, you may hear a cracking or popping sound. That sound can occur when pressure changes within a joint cause dissolved gases in the joint fluid to form or release a gas cavity.

It doesn’t mean bones are grinding together, and hearing a louder pop doesn’t mean you received a “better” adjustment.

In fact, an effective chiropractic adjustment doesn’t necessarily need to make a sound at all.

Techniques such as Atlas Orthogonal chiropractic use specialized equipment to make precise corrections without the twisting or popping many people associate with traditional chiropractic care.

So if the thought of being “cracked” has kept you away from a chiropractor, it’s worth knowing that chiropractic care can look very different from what you’ve seen on social media.

Three Things Dr. Parker Considers Before an Adjustment

One of the biggest misconceptions about chiropractic care is that every patient walks into the office and receives essentially the same adjustment.

That’s not how individualized care should work.

Before determining how to approach an adjustment, Dr. Galen Parker considers several factors unique to the person in front of him.

1. What Are You Experiencing?

Where does it hurt? When did it start? What makes it better or worse? Has it happened before?

Symptoms provide important information—but they’re only the beginning.

Your health history, previous injuries, lifestyle, activity level, and even the demands you place on your body every day can help provide context for what’s happening now.

For an athlete, that might mean understanding the repetitive movements involved in their sport. For someone who spends eight hours at a desk, the conversation may look completely different.

The person matters just as much as the symptom.

2. How Is Your Body Moving and Functioning?

Where you feel discomfort isn’t always the only area worth evaluating.

Your chiropractor may look at range of motion, joint mobility, muscle tension, posture, movement patterns, and other factors that help provide a more complete picture of how your body is functioning.

This is an important distinction.

The goal isn’t simply to find somewhere that can “pop.” It’s to determine whether an area may benefit from treatment and what type of care makes sense.

3. Which Technique Is Right for You?

There isn’t one chiropractic technique that’s appropriate for every patient or every situation.

Age, health history, comfort level, examination findings, symptoms, and treatment goals can all influence the approach your chiropractor recommends.

At Thigpen Chiropractic, patients have access to both traditional full-spine chiropractic care and specialized techniques such as Atlas Orthogonal Upper Cervical Chiropractic.

That allows care to be adapted to the patient rather than expecting the patient to adapt to one particular technique.

Does a Chiropractic Adjustment Hurt?

For most patients, chiropractic adjustments are generally well tolerated.

Some people may experience temporary soreness after an adjustment, particularly when beginning care or when an area is already irritated. But chiropractic treatment should not simply be a matter of “pushing through” significant pain.

Your comfort matters.

If you’re nervous about being adjusted, tell your chiropractor. Your provider can explain the technique, answer questions, and discuss whether a gentler approach may be appropriate.

At Thigpen Chiropractic, techniques range from traditional manual adjustments to gentle, instrument-assisted approaches, allowing care to be tailored to individual needs and comfort levels.

Is Cracking Your Own Back the Same Thing?

This is one we’ve covered before in our Myth vs. Medicine series, and the short answer is no.

Twisting until your back pops may temporarily make an area feel looser, but the sound itself doesn’t tell you which joint moved—or whether the area causing your symptoms was addressed at all.

A chiropractic adjustment is different because it follows an evaluation and is directed toward a specific area based on the chiropractor’s findings.

In other words: The goal isn’t the pop. It’s purposeful treatment.

Chiropractic Care Is More Than the Adjustment

Another misconception is that chiropractic treatment begins and ends with adjustments.

Depending on what you need, it may be only one part of your care.

At Thigpen Chiropractic, treatment plans can incorporate services such as:

For example, an adjustment may help address joint mobility while rehabilitation focuses on strength, movement, and the surrounding muscles. The combination depends on the patient.

The Thigpen Chiropractic Philosophy: Assessment Before Adjustment

If there’s one thing we want patients to understand about chiropractic care, it’s this: Assessment comes before adjustment.

Our goal isn’t to get the biggest crack or perform the same routine on every person who walks through the door. It’s to understand you.

What are you experiencing? How are you moving? What are your goals? What does your health history tell us? And which approach makes sense for your body?

Sometimes chiropractic adjustments may be part of that answer. Sometimes additional services such as rehabilitation or Shockwave Therapy may complement your care. And if chiropractic care isn’t appropriate for your situation, that matters too.

Personalized care begins by determining what you actually need.

Looking for Chiropractic Adjustments in Augusta, GA?

Whether you’re dealing with back or neck discomfort, recovering from an injury, trying to stay active, or simply wondering whether chiropractic care could be right for you, the first step isn’t an adjustment.

It’s a conversation and an evaluation.

At Thigpen Chiropractic, our Augusta chiropractic team offers multiple approaches to care, including traditional full-spine adjustments, Atlas Orthogonal Upper Cervical Chiropractic, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Shockwave Therapy, and additional services designed to support movement and function.

If you’re ready to learn what chiropractic care could look like for your body, we’d be happy to help.

Schedule an appointment with Thigpen Chiropractic in Augusta, GA.