Question
I am currently 17 years old, and I would like to know what I can do about this popping at the begining o f my spine. I worked 16 hours in a nursing home and it definitely has an effect on my back but I would like to know what's causing the painful popping?

Answer
Many people experience "popping" of their spine and other joints with movement, particularly bending, turning, or twisting movements. Most of the time, this popping, called cavitation, is not painful. Cavitation is caused by a stretching of the joint capsule, releasing the lubricating synovial fluid of the joint as a gas, mostly carbon dioxide.

Experiencing painful cavitation probably indicates some degree of joint dysfunction which may involve the muscle attachments as well as the disc.

I would recommend seeing a musculoskeletal-based chiropractor for further evaluation and possible treatment recommendations.