Question
My skeletal structure constantly (and loudly!!) pops and cracks all over the place. Neck, back, sternum, wrists, fingers, hips, knees, and toes all crack dozens of times on a daily basis. I am not experiencing any pain, although repetitive motions of these areas (like while pedalling a bike (knees)) can be quite frustrating. I cannot emphasize the loudness and the frequency enough. It has gotten louder over the years (I'm in my 30's) Would visiting a chiropractor be a worthy investment of time/money, or would I be better off with some other method? Normal doctors tell me as long as there's no pain, there's no problem, but this is an embarrassing and vexing issue to me. Thanks!

Answer
Jason, first of all, great usage of the word vexing!!

In general I tend to agree with the medical doctors you have seen.  There really isn't a big problem with the poping and cracking as long as you are not forcing the joints.  If this is truely a result of everyday movements and you are pain free, chances are it is probably not a big deal.  That being said you also need to realize that pain is not a good indicator of dysfunction, if it was, people would know about heart disease and cancer before it is too late. Having the joints evaluated by a Chiropractic Physican in your area who has extra training in sports injury or biomechnics would be advantagous.

However, there are some things you can do.  The popping and clicking, called crepitis, is most likely the result of ligamentous laxity and minor compromise to the cartilage around the joint spaces. If the same joint pops multiple times within the span of 15 minutes or less then that is indicative of ligamnetous laxity. If a ligament is not tightly adhered to the bone structures it can buckle and then snap back into place as the joint moves.  When this happens it creates a small whip effect in the ligament...that is what creates the clicking/popping. Conversely if there is damage to the cartilagenous surfaces of the joints, this can cause minor pops/cracks as well.

With nutritional supplementation you can increase the integrity of the ligamentous structure and reduce the noise created, although I doubt that it will go away entirely.  What to take:  
1.  Chondroitin Sulfate 3000 milligrams/day for 3 weeks, (A naturally occurring nutrient found in the connective tissues, which lubricates and cushions your joints).
2.  Glucosamine Sulfate or Glucosamine Hydrochloride, (the basic building block for maintaining joint cartilage, which helps to maintain structural integrity of the connective tissues of your joints)3000 milligrams/day for 3 weeks.
3.   MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), a dietary source of sulfur, which plays a critical role in the elasticity and flexibility of the connective tissues of your joints).  Take 1500 milligrams/day for three weeks.
**After the third week reduce the dosage by 1/2 for the next month.  Monitor your results and reduce or increase the dosage to a level that maintains a reasonable noise level.   

In addition fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C will help due to the fact that collagen production(the building block of ligaments)is enhanced with vitamin C.  
Examples:  red and orange bell peppers, red hot peppers, citrus fruits, broccoli, cranberries, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and citrus fruit.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman