Chiropractic adjustments are not usually painful. If an adjustment hurts it is usually because the doctor has had to adjust an area of the spine that is inflamed due to a pinched nerve or swollen and irritated tissues surrounding the spine. Patients will occasionally experience soreness after an adjustment similar to exercising for the first time in a long time. Most of the time adjustments are pain free and patients feel the benefit of the spinal alignment shortly after the procedure is performed.