Is the Ring Dinger® Safe? Side Effects and What It Does
Ring Dinger® videos make a hard pull on a stiff neck look quick and satisfying, so many people check whether it is safe. In a Ring Dinger® neck pull, the head is pulled sharply away from the body. A second person often holds the ankles so the body stays still. A Y-Strap uses a strap behind the head and under the jaw, and a towel jerk uses a towel.
Yama Zafer, D.C., calls these pulls dangerous because the neck has small joints, soft discs and the vertebral arteries that feed the brain. He warns of strained joints, a bulging disc that becomes a herniation, bleeding in a vertebral artery, and stroke. He considers them unjustifiable at any age. The risk rises further with high blood pressure, birth control pills, a disc problem, neck arthritis or an unstable neck.
Research shows why sudden force near the neck’s arteries matters: tears in them cause nearly 1 in 5 strokes in people under 45. The sections below cover that research, how the pull loads the spine, the warning signs after a pull and gentle, non-rotatory neck care.
This guide, Ring Dinger®, Y-Strap and Towel Jerks: The Risks, is published by Chiropractic Specialty Center, Bukit Damansara (KL) main center: WhatsApp+60 17 269 1873 Call+603 2093 1000
Ring Dinger®: Key Takeaways
| Point | What to know |
|---|---|
| Has its safety been tested? | No. A PubMed search on 9 October 2026 found no study of the Ring Dinger® or the Y-Strap. So no trial has measured what they do, their side effects or who is harmed. |
| Warning signs after a pull | A drooping face, a weak arm, slurred speech, sudden dizziness or a severe headache needs a hospital emergency department straight away. Go even if it passes. |
| What the crack is | A cavity forming in the joint fluid as the joint surfaces are pulled apart (Kawchuk et al., 2015). It is not the sound of a bone going back into place. |
| Years without a problem | Yama Zafer, D.C., compares repeated pulls with years of driving drunk without harm: no number of safe years justifies the next one. |
| Neck arthritis and stroke | Among 190 stroke patients, those with neck arthritis more often had their stroke in the back of the brain: 34.2% against 17.5% (Chen et al., 2015). |
| Neck arthritis and blood flow | In 80 people with neck arthritis, blood flow in the basilar artery dropped as the head turned. The drop was linked with age, vertigo and the grade of arthritis (Olszewski et al., 2006). |
| If a practitioner offers one | Ask them to stop, in the words of Yama Zafer, D.C. Neck care, in his view, should be safe, focused and specific. |
Ring Dinger®: Page Guide & Key Sections
- What the Research Shows About Ring Dinger® Neck Pulls
- Arranging a Neck Assessment in KL
- How a Ring Dinger® Neck Pull Loads the Spine
- Ring Dinger® Side Effects: What Can Go Wrong
- Neck Anatomy: Small Joints Beside the Vertebral Arteries
- Stiff Neck: Why Gentle Methods Come First
- Ring Dinger® vs a Chiropractic Adjustment at CSC
- What Gentle Neck Care at CSC Involves
- Watch: Neck Cracks Are Dangerous, Explained
- Questions to Ask Before Any Neck Treatment
- Related Neck and Spine Guides
- Frequently Asked Questions About the Ring Dinger®
- How to Read This Ring Dinger® Guide
- References
What the Research Shows About Ring Dinger® Neck Pulls
PubMed, the main index of medical research, was searched on 9 October 2026 for the Ring Dinger® and the Y-Strap in study titles and abstracts. No study of either method came up. So no trial has measured what these pulls do, how often they cause harm or who is most at risk. The studies below come from related research on the neck’s arteries and joints.
Neck Artery Tears in Younger Adults
Tears in the lining of the neck’s arteries are called dissections. A 2005 review found that they cause nearly 1 in 5 strokes in people under 45. About 15% of them are in the vertebral arteries. How they start is not fully understood, though trauma, airway infections and weakness of the artery wall are considered important (Thanvi et al., 2005).
Neck Arthritis and Blood Flow to the Brain
A 2006 study measured blood flow in the basilar artery as the head turned, in 80 people with neck arthritis (cervical spondylosis). Forty of them had vertigo. The drop in flow was linked with age, vertigo and the grade of arthritis on X-ray. The authors suggest that pressure from the arthritic changes on the vertebral artery may be the reason (Olszewski et al., 2006).
A second study compared 38 stroke patients who had neck arthritis with 152 of the same sex and age who did not. Strokes in the back of the brain, which the vertebral arteries supply, were about twice as common with arthritis: 34.2% against 17.5%. High blood pressure was a second, separate risk factor (Chen et al., 2015).
Salon Sink Strokes: A Related Example
Yama Zafer, D.C., gives the salon sink as an example of the same principle (4:06 in his video). There, the head is tipped back over the basin during a hair wash. A 1993 report in JAMA described five cases under the name beauty parlor stroke syndrome (Weintraub, 1993).
What the Crack Is
In a 2015 study, ten finger joints were filmed by MRI while they were pulled apart until they cracked. The crack came as a cavity formed in the joint fluid, not as a bubble collapsed (Kawchuk et al., 2015). So the sound shows that two joint surfaces separated. It does not show that a bone went back into place, and it says nothing about the discs, nerves or arteries nearby.
Arranging a Neck Assessment in KL
A first visit at either Kuala Lumpur center checks how the neck moves and the nerves to the arms. It also looks for anything in the history that calls for caution, such as high blood pressure or a disc problem. Any X-ray or MRI is reviewed before care options are discussed. Neck care at both centers is non-rotatory and combines chiropractic and physiotherapy:
- Bukit Damansara (KL, main center): Call +603 2093 1000 or WhatsApp +60 17 269 1873 to see the Bukit Damansara / KL center.
- Bandar Sri Damansara (KL): Call +603 6262 5777 or WhatsApp +60 12 455 6939 to see the Bandar Sri Damansara center.
Opening hours and directions for both centers are on the CSC locations page.
How a Ring Dinger® Neck Pull Loads the Spine
In his video, Yama Zafer, D.C., explains why the force of a pull does not stay in the neck. The brain, the brainstem and the spinal cord sit inside one continuous covering, the dura, which runs from the skull down to the tailbone. When the neck is yanked while a second person holds the ankles, the whole length of the spine takes the jolt (6:16 to 8:12).
These neck pulls share three features:
- a sudden, high-speed pull along the spine
- often with the neck tipped back or slightly turned
- the lower body held in place, by hand or with a device
The pull puts sudden tension on the discs, on the small facet joints and their capsules, and on the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together.
Why the Brainstem Is at Risk
The brainstem leaves the skull through the large opening at its base, the foramen magnum, and continues as the spinal cord. Because the dura wraps both, a sudden pull on the neck jolts the brainstem as well as the cord. In his words, a second person holding the ankles while the neck is yanked “does not go well.”
From Neck to Tailbone: Each Level the Pull Reaches
Each level of the spine takes part of the load. The table names what sits at each level, and each link opens that level’s own guide:
| Level | What sits there |
|---|---|
| C0-C1 (skull and atlas) | Where the skull meets the spine. The vertebral arteries pass close by on their way into the skull. |
| C1-C2 (atlas and axis) | Most of the neck’s turning happens here. The transverse ligament holds the peg of C2 (the dens) in place, and the vertebral arteries curve sharply. |
| C2-C3 | Where movement passes from the upper neck to the lower neck. Its facet joints are small, with thin capsules. |
| C3-C4 | The nerve that leaves the spine here helps supply the shoulder and the diaphragm. |
| C4-C5 | Its disc and facet joints help control bending the neck forward and back. |
| C5-C6 | One of the most mobile levels of the neck. The C6 nerve root that leaves here serves the arm and wrist. |
| C6-C7 | Posture and daily load already stress this disc. The nerve here runs into the forearm and hand. |
| C7-T1 | Where the neck meets the upper back. The C8 nerve root that leaves here helps control grip strength. |
| Lower back: L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 | With the lower body held in place, part of the pull reaches the discs and facet joints of the lower back. |
| Tailbone (coccyx) | The covering of the spinal cord runs down to the tailbone, so the jolt runs the full length of the spine. |
Ring Dinger® Side Effects: What Can Go Wrong
Yama Zafer, D.C., names the harms in his video:
- Joints: aggressive pulls can hurt the small joints of the neck (2:14).
- Discs: a mild disc bulge can become a severe herniation, and a worn disc can tear, which shows on an MRI as an annular tear (9:19).
- Arteries: with bone spurs near the vertebral artery, a pull “can cause damage, an aneurysm or a bleeding in the vertebral artery” (3:38). In his words, “that can also cause a stroke” (8:12).
- Brainstem and spinal cord: the sudden traction jolts them inside the dura (6:16).
No count of these harms has been published, because PubMed holds no study or case report of either method.
Warning Signs After a Neck Pull
The NHS lists these signs of a stroke, the first three being the main ones:
- a face that droops on one side
- an arm that cannot be fully lifted
- slurred or confused speech
- weakness or numbness down one side of the body
- blurred vision or loss of sight
- dizziness or falling over
- a severe headache
- nausea or vomiting
Any of these after a neck pull needs a hospital emergency department straight away, even if it stops after a short time. Someone else should drive, or an ambulance should be called.
Who Is Most at Risk From a Neck Pull?
In the view of Yama Zafer, D.C., these pulls are “not justifiable under any circumstances, regardless of the person’s age.” He names the people who need the most caution (5:32):
- people of any age: the young, the middle-aged and the elderly
- women taking birth control pills
- people with high blood pressure
- people with a bulging disc or a herniated disc
- people with neck arthritis (spondylosis) or any instability that makes the neck symptomatic
Years without a problem are no protection. He compares it with a person who has driven drunk for years without harming anyone: “That doesn’t justify him driving drunk for any more days or years.” His advice if a practitioner offers a pull: “And if they do want to do this for you, ask them to stop.”
Neck Anatomy: Small Joints Beside the Vertebral Arteries
The neck, or cervical spine, is a stack of seven vertebrae, C1 to C7, joined by small joints, soft discs and ligaments. Yama Zafer, D.C., points out that it is the small joints and soft discs that make forceful pulls dangerous (0:14 and 0:38).
The two vertebral arteries run up through small openings in the side of the vertebrae. They supply the brainstem, the cerebellum and the back of the brain. He describes the artery as more critical than the nerve (1:11).
Small joints at the sides of the vertebrae, the uncovertebral joints, act as guardrails that limit sideways movement. They sit right beside the vertebral arteries (2:51).
Cervical Spondylosis and Bone Spurs Near the Artery
Cervical spondylosis is the name for wear in the discs, joints and ligaments of the neck, often with bony outgrowths called bone spurs (osteophytes). Most wear-related changes follow an injury, sudden or repeated, or repeated harmful strain, and they can begin far earlier than most people expect.
Spurs on the uncovertebral joints can grow close to the vertebral artery. In his video he explains that aggressive methods can disturb the vertebral artery, especially where there is spondylosis or bone spurs (2:14). He also notes that most adults with a stiff neck have some degenerative change (1:45). A neck that looks healthy in a video may not be.
Stiff Neck: Why Gentle Methods Come First
Neck stiffness after long hours at a desk, or on waking with a locked feeling, is a common reason to look for a quick crack. Seeking help for stiffness is normal, in the view of Yama Zafer, D.C. (1:45).
Mild stiffness usually comes from tiring postures, a joint that is not moving freely or tight muscles. Gentle joint mobilization, soft tissue work and guided movement are aimed at these. A sudden Ring Dinger® pull may give a loud pop, but the pop is only a cavity forming in the joint fluid. In a neck that has not been examined, the pull adds risk.
Ring Dinger® vs a Chiropractic Adjustment at CSC
Neck pulls like the Ring Dinger® are offered by some chiropractors, so it is easy to take one for an ordinary adjustment. Yama Zafer, D.C., describes neck care as safe, focused and specific, never aggressive or violent: “Aggressive neck care is never good and should always be avoided.” (9:38 to 9:59)
| Point | Ring Dinger®, Y-Strap or towel jerk | Neck care at CSC |
|---|---|---|
| Force | A sudden, hard pull along the spine | Gentle methods, kept within what the patient can comfortably tolerate |
| Before it starts | A video does not show whether the neck was examined first | An examination of the neck and the nerves to the arms, with any X-ray or MRI reviewed |
| Twisting | The neck is often tipped back or turned | Non-rotatory: no twisting of the neck |
| Traction | A fast jerk | Cervical decompression, applied slowly on a table, where the findings call for it |
At the top of the neck, the upper cervical adjustment used at CSC is non-force and non-rotatory. The guide to upper cervical chiropractic care explains it.
What Gentle Neck Care at CSC Involves
Neck care at CSC starts with an examination and is planned around what it finds. Yama Zafer, D.C., recommends chiropractic and physiotherapy together rather than one or the other; in his words, “Choose both.” Depending on the findings, care can include:
- Chiropractic care: gentle, non-rotatory methods, such as chiropractic manipulation that is non-rotatory using the Activator instrument.
- Physiotherapy: gentle mobilization of the neck joints and soft tissue work for the neck and shoulder muscles.
- Cervical decompression, applied slowly and measured, where the findings call for it (see spinal decompression therapy).
- Exercises for the neck and posture, once the neck is ready for them.
Care is kept within what the patient can comfortably tolerate, and the patient tells the clinician at once if anything hurts. Progress is checked by repeating the first visit’s measures. If they have not improved by the fifth session, the plan is reviewed, and by the tenth session the next step is decided together. The guide to the neck chiropractor in KL explains how neck care is assessed and planned at CSC.
Watch: Neck Cracks Are Dangerous, Explained
In this 10-minute video, Yama Zafer, D.C., uses a spine model to explain towel pulls, Y-Strap pulls and similar Ring Dinger®-style pulls. He shows how they put sudden load on the small joints, discs, nerves and vertebral arteries of the neck. The video page carries the full walkthrough. Key moments:
- 0:14 The Y-Strap and similar neck pulls
- 1:11 The vertebral artery
- 2:51 The uncovertebral joints and bone spurs
- 4:06 The salon sink
- 5:32 Who needs the most caution
- 6:16 How a pull reaches the brainstem and the tailbone
- 9:19 Discs that bulge and tear
Questions to Ask Before Any Neck Treatment
Before any treatment on the neck, these questions show whether a method suits the person:
- What did the examination find, and how does the plan follow from it?
- Which method will be used, and does it involve twisting the neck or a sudden pull?
- How will progress be measured, and when will the plan be reviewed?
- What happens if something hurts during care?
- When would the practitioner refer to a doctor?
The chiropractic price in Kuala Lumpur and physiotherapy fees in Kuala Lumpur pages list the current fees. The fee for a plan is explained and agreed before care begins.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Ring Dinger®
Is the Y-Strap safer than a Ring Dinger® pull?
No. Yama Zafer, D.C., puts the two together: “Both of those are dangerous, and what makes them dangerous is the fact that the neck has small joints.” The Y-Strap sits behind the skull and under the jaw and is pulled hard, so the force runs along the neck just as it does in any hard neck pull. Neither method has been studied: a PubMed search found no study of either one. Neither is used at CSC.
Why don’t all chiropractors do the Ring Dinger®?
In the view of Yama Zafer, D.C., chiropractic care is safe when it is delivered correctly, and problems come from the practitioner’s choices. Neck care, in his words, should be safe, focused and specific, never aggressive or violent, and a forceful pull on the whole spine is the opposite. No study of the method could be found in PubMed. At CSC, neck care uses non-rotatory methods chosen after an examination, and no Ring Dinger®, Y-Strap or towel pull is used.
Is a Ring Dinger® the same as spinal decompression?
No. A Ring Dinger® neck pull is a single fast jerk while the body is held still. Spinal decompression is traction applied slowly on a table, with the force and the time set and measured for each person. At CSC, cervical decompression is used for the neck where the examination calls for it, as one part of a plan that combines chiropractic and physiotherapy. The guide to spinal decompression therapy explains how it is done.
Can neck pulls cause a stroke or paralysis?
A stroke is the most serious harm Yama Zafer, D.C., warns about. He explains that a forceful yank on the neck “can also cause a stroke” (8:12), and that with bone spurs near the vertebral artery a pull can damage the artery or make it bleed (3:38). Research supports the concern in general: tears in the neck’s arteries cause nearly 1 in 5 strokes in people under 45. PubMed holds no study or case report of the Ring Dinger® itself, so no count of strokes or paralysis after it has been published.
Is a neck pull ever suitable for children or teenagers?
No. Yama Zafer, D.C., says these pulls are not justifiable at any age, especially for the young. Very young children at CSC receive non-force care, and for teenagers a low-force method such as chiropractic manipulation that is non-rotatory using the Activator instrument may be used. The guides to neck manipulation in children and neck cracking in children set out what parents can check.
Does CSC offer the Ring Dinger® in Kuala Lumpur?
No. Neither of the two Kuala Lumpur centers, Bukit Damansara and Bandar Sri Damansara, uses the Ring Dinger®, the Y-Strap or towel pulls. Neck care at both starts with an examination of how the neck moves, the nerves to the arms and anything in the history that calls for caution. Care is then non-rotatory, combines chiropractic and physiotherapy, and is kept within what the patient can comfortably tolerate.
How to Read This Ring Dinger® Guide
This guide explains the Ring Dinger® and other neck pulls for education. It cannot assess an individual reader’s neck, and decisions about neck care are made after an examination by a qualified practitioner. Ring Dinger® is a registered trademark and is referred to here only for discussion and commentary. Chiropractic Specialty Center and Yama Zafer, D.C., are not affiliated with or endorsed by the trademark owner or any party associated with it.
References
1. Thanvi B, Munshi SK, Dawson SL, Robinson TG. Carotid and vertebral artery dissection syndromes. Postgrad Med J. 2005;81(956):383-388.
2. Olszewski J, Majak J, Pietkiewicz P, Luszcz C, Repetowski M. The association between positional vertebral and basilar artery flow lesion and prevalence of vertigo in patients with cervical spondylosis. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2006;134(4):680-684.
3. Chen CC, Chung CY, Lee TH, Chang WH, Tang SF, Pei YC. Increased risk of posterior circulation infarcts among ischemic stroke patients with cervical spondylosis. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2015;11:273-278.
4. Weintraub MI. Beauty parlor stroke syndrome: report of five cases. JAMA. 1993;269(16):2085-2086.
5. Kawchuk GN, Fryer J, Jaremko JL, Zeng H, Rowe L, Thompson R. Real-time visualization of joint cavitation. PLoS One. 2015;10(4):e0119470.
6. NHS. Symptoms of a stroke. Page last reviewed 12 September 2024.
These references describe the neck’s arteries, neck arthritis, joint sounds and the signs of a stroke in general. None of them evaluates care at Chiropractic Specialty Center.
The Author of Ring Dinger®, Y-Strap and Towel Jerks: The Risks
Ring Dinger®, Y-Strap and Towel Jerks: The Risks was written by Yama Zafer, D.C., who has 30+ years in chiropractic and physiotherapy and founded Chiropractic Specialty Center in Kuala Lumpur in 2006.
Last Updated: Is the Ring Dinger® Safe? Side Effects and What It Does
Is the Ring Dinger® Safe? Side Effects and What It Does was last reviewed and updated on October 10, 2026.