The term “toxins” is often used to describe the physiological changes that occur after a spinal adjustment, but this is a lay term, not a precise medical description. The sensation of feeling unwell after a chiropractic session is not due to a sudden release of poisons, but rather a temporary shift in metabolic byproducts and neurochemicals. The physical manipulation restores motion in restricted joints and relaxes surrounding tissues, mobilizing naturally occurring substances that had become localized. Understanding these processes helps explain the temporary post-adjustment reactions some people experience.
How Spinal Adjustment Affects Local Tissues
A spinal adjustment, or manipulation, is a controlled, sudden force applied to a joint to restore normal motion and function. This physical action initiates a cascade of mechanical effects in the local area. The characteristic “popping” sound, or cavitation, results from a rapid change in pressure within the joint capsule, causing dissolved gases to come out of solution temporarily.
The mechanical input directly stimulates surrounding soft tissues, including muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Chronic tension in these tissues restricts movement and blood flow, causing metabolic waste products to accumulate locally. The adjustment quickly releases this physical tension, similar to a deep tissue massage.
This manipulation provides strong sensory input to the nervous system by stimulating mechanoreceptors and proprioceptors. These receptors send updated information about joint position and movement to the brain, leading to reflex relaxation of tight muscles. The increased movement and reduced tension promote localized vasodilation, increasing blood flow and tissue permeability. This improved circulation facilitates the flushing of accumulated substances out of the tissues and into the general circulation for elimination.
Molecules Released Into the Body
The physical effects of spinal manipulation lead to the mobilization of specific chemical substances that account for the post-adjustment experience. One common category mobilized is metabolic byproducts, such as lactic acid. Lactic acid accumulates in chronically tight or overworked muscles, and the sudden release of muscle tension allows this acid to be quickly flushed into the bloodstream.
Other metabolic wastes mobilized include pyruvic acid and uric acid, which are normal byproducts of cellular respiration and metabolism. The increased circulation and lymphatic drainage triggered by the adjustment help move these accumulated wastes into the liver and kidneys for processing and excretion. This sudden influx of byproducts into the general circulation is thought to contribute to feelings of fatigue or mild sickness.
Spinal adjustments also influence the neuro-hormonal system, leading to the release of beneficial neurochemicals. The manipulation stimulates the nervous system, resulting in the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. Endorphins and other neurochemicals, like oxytocin, mediate pain perception and promote feelings of well-being, which some people report as a sense of lightness or calmness after a session. The adjustment can also modulate inflammatory markers; while manipulation can cause a brief, localized increase in certain cytokines, the overall effect is often a reduction in systemic inflammation over time.
Understanding the Temporary Post-Adjustment Reaction
The mobilization of metabolic byproducts and the shift in neurochemical balance can result in several temporary, subjective symptoms. Many patients report experiencing mild, localized muscle soreness, often described as feeling similar to the day after a moderate workout. This is likely due to the mechanical manipulation of soft tissues and the sudden flushing of localized lactic acid.
Another common reaction is a feeling of fatigue or tiredness, which is thought to be the body expending energy to process the mobilized metabolic waste and adapt to the new neurological input. Some individuals may experience mild headaches or transient, flu-like symptoms. These reactions are generally interpreted as the body’s natural cleansing mechanisms working to clear the byproducts that have entered the general circulation.
The duration of these post-adjustment reactions is usually brief, with most symptoms resolving completely within 24 to 72 hours. These temporary discomforts are not signs of harm, but rather a normal, positive indication that the body’s nervous system and musculoskeletal structure are adapting to the changes made. Staying well-hydrated after an adjustment is recommended, as this supports the natural processes of the liver and kidneys in eliminating the mobilized metabolic waste products.