Cracking Your Neck Could Lead to Paralysis

Health Wellness

Many people, including myself, regularly stretch and crack or pop their neck. In my case, I have 5 of the 7 discs in my neck damaged as a result of an auto accident. Doctors have told me that my neck is very unstable (I usually respond by saying it matches my head). Due to the disc damage, I get pinched nerves every day and often have to move and pop my neck to get the nerves unpinched.

Over the years, I’ve noticed that many people that have desk jobs periodically stretch and pop their necks, which tend to get stiff from looking downward at their paperwork or computer.

How many times have you seen someone trying to get loose before doing something physical? They stretch and shake their legs and arms. They arch their backs and then they twist their head from one side to the other, turning it also at the same time.

Admit it. Most of us have done something similar from time to time, and some of us do it on a daily basis. In most cases, we feel better after stretching and popping our necks, otherwise we wouldn’t do it.

That was the case of a 23-year-old paramedic in the United Kingdom, but one night, popping or cracking her neck resulted in a serious condition, as reported:

“On the night of March 4, 23-year-old Natalie Kunicki was watching a movie in bed with a friend after a night out drinking; she stretched her neck and heard a loud cracking sound, but was unconcerned because her joints often cracked, British news site Unilad reported.”

“However, when Kunicki tried to walk to the bathroom about 15 minutes later, she couldn’t move her left leg. She was rushed to University College London Hospital early on March 5, where doctors discovered that the neck crack had ruptured a vertebral artery — one of the major arteries in the neck. This created a blood clot that triggered a stroke, causing paralysis on her left side, according to Unilad.”

So, what happens to cause the popping noise we hear when cracking our neck, back or fingers?

“When a person cracks their neck, back or fingers, the sound is caused by the “popping” of nitrogen bubbles inside capsules that protect the joints, or by ligaments as they stretch and snap back into place, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM). In most cases this is harmless, but if joint popping is followed by pain or swelling, it could indicate an injury and may require medical attention, JHM said.”

Dr. Robert Glatter, an emergency physician at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, warns:

“A tear in the wall of the blood vessel can lead to a stroke if a blood clot forms at the site of the injury, and later breaks free to block blood flow to the brain.”

Glatter went on to explain that cracking the neck can also cause damage to the bones, ligaments and nerves.

One doctor told me that the more times a person cracks their neck, the more susceptible they become to experiencing something more serious. In the case of Kunicki, she said she wasn’t trying to crack her neck that night, but just moved to stretch it and it happened.

The next time you feel the urge to crack or pop your neck, be forewarned and be careful.

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