What is Vertebral Subluxation?
What is a Subluxation? (See Vertebral Subluxation and Nerve Chart) My passion for McClain Chiropractic is to interest my patients in the care of their human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. The best way to help them in this cause is through EDUCATION…. particularly in the subject of their spine and the meaning and consequences of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
It is important for my patients to understand what a subluxation is, why it can be so detrimental to their health, and how a chiropractor can help restore their body to health through the removal of the spinal subluxation using a chiropractic adjustment.
Simply stated, a subluxation is the condition of adjacent spinal bones being out of alignment with respect to one another. Because nerves exit the spaces created between two adjacent vertebrae, a subluxation may cause a irritation or pinching of a nerve and pain. Subluxations are detected by a chiropractic examination and eliminated by a chiropractic adjustment.
Chiropractors remove subluxations in the spine by applying a carefully and precisely directed pressure to the spine in a quick manner (by hand or special instrument) in order to restore the normal motion and function of the spine.
This spinal adjustment reduces or eliminates abnormal structural alignments, and restores proper nerve tone and transmission that may influence your body’s organ systems. By eliminating the vertebral subluxation or misalignment, the body’s normal functions are restored promoting their general health and wellbeing."
And because McClain Chiropractic exists to create and sustain my patient’s overall wellness, I commit much of my energies to detection and treatment of these abnormalities BEFORE they begin affecting my patient’s health.
Should you be medically minded, and a glutton for punishment, what follows is a much more detailed description on the entire subject of Subluxation.
As promised, here is the definition of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex:
"A subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health."
Confused yet? That’s okay I’ll break this down piece by piece so that by the end, you will be thoroughly informed. A subluxation, or more precisely, the Vertebral Subluxation Complex, describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal position and motion from:
1. Stress
2. Trauma, or
3. Chemical imbalances
You may not know this, but the vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems. Now you’re probably asking yourself, “How can a bone out of place be an underlying cause for my health problems?” Lucky for you, I have the answer!
When one or more vertebrae lose their normal position and/or motion (are out of place), they can interfere with the normal function of the nervous system that the vertebral bones were meant to house and protect. This interference can occur as pressure or irritation on the spinal cord, or on the nerves as they pass out of the spinal column. This nerve injury, or interference, is what doctors of chiropractic call the Vertebral Subluxation Complex –
"vertebral" meaning relating to bones of the spine
“subluxation" meaning the improper motion or position of the vertebra
"complex" meaning that the condition consists of many elements
Still skeptical?
Let’s break this down even further. The Vertebral Subluxation Complex usually has five major interrelated components. Listed below are these components and the explanation of each one:
Spinal Kinesiopathology:
This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Neuropathophysiology:
Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Myopathology:
Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Histopathology:
A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Pathophysiology:
Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.
Congratulations! You have made it to the end! Still have questions about the vertebral subluxation complex? Call your Chiropractor to learn even more.
