Neck cracking and grinding is thought to occur when structures in the cervical spine rub together and make sounds. One suggested cause of neck crepitus is the formation and collapse of tiny gas bubbles, caused by pressure changes within the joint.

Is it normal to hear crunching in your neck?

Although the associated noise is mostly harmless, deliberately clicking your neck by applying rapid forces in rotation of the neck can be harmful. In each side of your neck, your vertebral arteries run in between the joints, which are an incredibly important pair of arteries carrying oxygenated blood to the brain.

Why does my neck click when I move it?

When cartilage gets damaged, it loses its smooth texture and thins out, making movement across the cartilage less easy and gentle. The clicking or grinding you feel when you move your neck is called crepitus and is caused by the rough movement of damaged cartilage and bones grating on bones.