Question
When I breath in deep I upper part of my spine makes a cracking sound , this happens alot . Almost every 3 rd deep breath I take in , what is causing this . Is there something wrong with my spine ? I am really worried about this .
Ps this has been happening for atleast 6-8 months

Answer
Hello Marcus,


    When deep breathing the ribcage expands, your ribs insert directly into the spine (costovertebral joint) this joint may be subluxated (moved out of place by breathing) which can cause pain and the "cracking" sound.  You may want to see a Doctor of Chiropractic as they will be able to adjust the affected joint and perform soft tissue treatment to make sure the joint is aligned properly and stays in place.  This is very common as hard coughing and sneezing will subluxate those joints.

Have a great day,
Dr. Brendon O'Brien D.C.