What is a Subluxation?

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 position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in your spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.

Subluxations are really a combination of changes going on at the same time. These changes occur both in your spine and throughout your body. For this reason chiropractors often refer to vertebral subluxations as the "Vertebral Subluxation Complex", or "VSC" for short.

As with any serious condition, the Vertebral Subluxation Complex has several parts or components: (Unfortunately, clinical observations reveal that about 95% of cases of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex cannot be felt by the patient, so how you feel has a little to do with the presence of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.)

1) The first component of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex is Spinal Kinesiopathology. This occurs when the small joints of the spine "sprain". When this happens, according to Dr. Jan Jirout, Medical Researcher, these injured joints heal incorrectly, either too loose (hypermobile), too tight (hypomobile), or misaligned.

2) When that happens, Dr. I.M. Korr, Medical Researcher, tells us that Neuropathophysiology, the second component, occurs. This is when the joints that have been injured and have healed wrong pinch or irritate the spinal nerves, interfering with the fow of nerve impulses from the brain to all parts of the body------ The Vertebral Subluxation Complex is developing.

3) When this happens, Dr. Kirkaldy-Willis, Medical Researcher, indicates that Myopathology occurs, the third component. The pinched or irritated nerves cause the spinal muscles to become weak or develop into muscle spasms. This is when local inflammation and scar tissue in the spinal muscles first begins to develop, "sticking" your spinal muscles together, causing your spinal muscles to function abnormally through out your life.

4) When that happens, Dr. Alf Brieg, Medical Researcher, indicates that Histopathology, the fourth component, occurs, causing wide spread spinal inflammation and scar tissue throughout the spine. Soft tissue becomes swollen, scar tissue continues to develop at an accelerated rate, and all the tissues of the spine start to break down.

5) When this occurs, according to Dr. Lee A. Hadley, Medical Researcher, the fifth component, Pathology, develops in the spine. Dr. Hadley states that the injured (subluxated) areas of the spine cause the spine to degenerate. This is called Subluxation Degeneration.

The Doctors goal is to correct Vertebral Subluxation Complexes so that your body may have the ability to heal itself.