What is a Subluxation and what does it do to me?

First, the simple explanation.

In simplest terms, a subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of their proper position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves causing those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.

How does this affect you?

Your nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of your body. If you interfere with the signals traveling over nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function at 100% of their innate abilities. In other words, some part of your body will not be working properly.

It is the responsibility of the Chiropractor to locate subluxations, and reduce or correct them. This is done through a series of chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in your spine. Chiropractors are the only professionals who undergo years of training to be the experts at correcting subluxations.

Now, the detailed explanation.

Subluxations are really a combination of changes going on at the same time. These changes occur both in your spine and throughout your body.

With a vertebral subluxation, various things are happening inside your body simultaneously. They are:

1. The Osseous (bone)Component. The vertebrae has lost its proper juxtaposition with an adjacent vertebra (to an extent less than a luxation), it may be not moving properly, or are undergoing physical changes such as degeneration.

2. The Nerve Component. There is an altering and/or malfunctioning of nerve function. Research has shown that only a small amount of pressure on spinal nerves can have a profound impact on the function of the nerves.

3. The Chemical Component. When there is interference to nerves that supply organs that produce hormones/chemicals, it alters body chemistry. These chemical changes can be slight or massive depending on what parts of your body are affected by your subluxations. To learn the importance of proper body chemistry click here.

4. The Muscle Component. Since the muscles help hold the vertebrae in place, and since nerves control the muscles themselves, muscles are an integral part of proper spinal function and can affect and be effected by a subluxation.

5. The Soft Tissue Component. When you have misaligned vertebrae and pressure on nerves there are resulting changes in the surrounding soft tissues. This means the tendons, ligaments, blood supply, and other tissues undergo changes. These changes can occur at the point of the subluxation or far away at some end point of the affected nerves.