What is Subluxation?
The term “subluxation” can have many different meanings, but within the chiropractic world of neck and spinal adjustments, subluxation refers to any altered position of the vertebra and the subsequent pain and functional loss that a person experiences.
Essentially, we refer to subluxation whenever a person’s spine gets out of alignment and results in various problems, such as:
Muscle atrophy
Congestion
Tissue rigidity
Anxiety
Depression
Pain
Digestive problems
Impaired immunity soreness
Headaches
Menstrual and fertility problems
TMJ
Sleep problems
Given how easy it is for your spine to become misaligned or pushed into an abnormal position, it’s likely that many people are dealing with subluxation and its adverse effects without even realizing it. And because this condition can get worse over time, it’s critical to know if you are living with subluxations in your body.
But what specifically causes subluxation?
What Causes Subluxation?
In the past, subluxations were thought to simply be the product of a bone in the spine being out of place or a nerve being pinched by a misalignment. However, research over the years has shown that subluxations involve any changes throughout the nervous system, which can include misalignments in the spine but isn’t limited to just physical damage.
So when it comes to diagnosing the cause of subluxations, chiropractors refer to the Three T’s: Thoughts, Trauma, and Toxins.
Trauma. The first T refers to any physical trauma that can cause a vertebra to become misaligned, such as forceful birthing procedures, bad posture, falls, and any other form of physical duress that can compromise the spine, neck and nervous system.
Toxins. The second T addresses your body’s chemical health. Because our bodies are a conglomeration of chemicals, any toxins that get in can cause problems in the joints and muscles, such as contractions or changes in fiber length, which results in subluxations.
Thoughts. The final T speaks to the body’s ability to process stress and stressful environments. When our nervous system perceives mental and emotional stress in our body, it sends out instructions to the muscles to react, defend, and brace the body against what it perceives as a threat. This reaction can result in misalignments and alterations in the spine, causing subluxations throughout the body.
Chiropractic Care for Subluxations
The best way to determine if you are suffering from any subluxations and its negative side effects is to visit a local chiropractor to have them evaluate your body’s overall physical, chemical and emotional health.
At Tribe Family Chiropractic, we conduct a thorough evaluation of your body by walking through your previous injuries, health problems and instances of trauma. In addition to collecting your health history, we also conduct a series of scans that reveal your energy output, where you hold stress, and what systems in your body need to be put back in order.
Our process reveals if and where your body is experiencing subluxations and informs us of the best way to put your body back into proper alignment so that it can begin the process of healing itself.
If you’re interested in learning more about subluxations with regards to your own health, contact us today!