What is a subluxation?
Subluxation is a term used in the chiropractic field to describe what happens when one of the vertebrae in the spine moves out of position. If you have a subluxation it can result in disturbance in the spine and your nervous system.
A subluxation creates pressure and stress on the spinal nerves, blood vessels, and surrounding muscles. The pressure of this misalignment and stress can cause an imbalance in the body’s normal processes as the nerves in the spinal column extend to the entire body and its organs. As time goes on and the uncorrected subluxation settles, the damage to the nerve gets progressively worse and different stages of subluxation degeneration set in.
There are 5 different ways chiropractors determine if you have a subluxation.
- Pain and tenderness in that area
- Swelling and inflammation
- Tight Muscles
- Lack of motion in that area
- Heat can be felt emanating from the area
Subluxations can occur in a number of ways:
- Any acute trauma
- An auto accident
- An athletic Injury
- Normal wear and tear on the body: Sitting to long in the wrong position, Improper sleeping position, poor posture (on the computer, phone or reading for too long) or incorrect heavy lifting
- Birth trauma
- Pregnancy
- A slip or fall
- Sudden jar to the body
Chiropractors are specialists in correcting subluxation misalignments in the spine. A chiropractor can restore the misaligned vertebrae to the proper position in the spinal column by using many different modalities. They can do this manually or with adjusting tools. X-rays are taken to evaluate where the misalignment s are located in the spine and to detect any other possible areas of concern.
Under normal circumstances, chiropractic adjustments are painless. In cases of trauma, such as car accident, some discomfort may be experienced due to inflammation that may be present in the injured area.