Vertebral Subluxations
Subluxation is a medical diagnosis (recognized by insurance companies) used to identify abnormal biomechanics and articular dysfunction in the joint space and can happen in any joint in the body. The word subluxation is derived from the Latin words meaning somewhat or slightly (sub) and to dislocate (luxate). When this happens in the spine, the misaligned vertebrae creates pressure and irritation on the spinal nerves which will eventually lead to pain. Subluxations also impact ligaments, surrounding musculature and spinal discs. As time goes on and the uncorrected subluxation settles, the damage to the nerve and degenerative changes in the disc get progressively worse and different stages of subluxation degeneration set in.
Subluxations can occur in a number of ways. A car accident, athletic injuries, birth trauma, pregnancy, a fall, sudden jar, or other traumas are all examples of unique instances that may cause a subluxation. The other occurrence of subluxation comes from regular actions as improper sleeping position, poor posture, or incorrect lifting processes. Subluxations can often be mistakenly diagnosed as some form of “itis” such as tendonitis, bursitis, neuritis, myositis, capsulitis or arthritis.
You can have subluxations and not even know it. Like tooth decay, heart disease or cancer, subluxations can be present long before any warning signs appear. Ten percent of nerve fibers in the human body are designed to produce pain when a spinal nerve root is being impinged, the remaining ninety percent are not.
The first subluxation can occur from the birth process, especially as a result of difficult deliveries. Poor appetite, unexplained crying and sleeplessness can be signs of subluxations affecting newborns, infants, babies, and toddlers. If left uncorrected, these subluxations can remain present an entire lifetime.
