How to stop cracking my neck?

How can I stop my neck from cracking?

• Not always, but usually when I turn my neck it starts cracking. It doesn`t hurt, but it`s really annoying. How can I stop it?

• Answer:

  Sometimes this can indicate degenerative disc disease and bone spurs in your neck, especially if you've ever had a neck injury from a car wreck or sporting accident, or if you're over the age of 50. Such a condition would not necessarily cause pain in your neck but usually does cause pain in one or both of your arms. If you have any arm or hand pain, perhaps you should see a neurologist or orthopedic surgeon. Or you could see if your family doctor thinks you need an MRI of your neck. It might be something mild that can be resolved through physical therapy, or no treatment at all, but sometimes it indicates a need for surgery. You would have more symptoms if you need neck surgery, but the symptoms don't always seem as if they're related to your neck. (I've had neck surgery, and one of my symptoms prior to the surgery was cracking in my neck when I turned my head.)