A subluxation is a misalignment of the spine that causes pressure on the exiting nerve root and causes pain, inflammation and muscle spasm.  A chiropractor is a doctor that specializes in correcting subluxations.  This correction, either by hand or instrument, decreases the nerve compression and alleviates the pain, inflammation and muscle spasm.

How do you get a subluxation?

There are three ways to get a subluxation.  Stress, Trauma and Toxins.

  1.  Stress from either physical strain or emotional stressors.  The saying “a day of worry is more exhausting that a week of work” is very true.  The stress on your body causes muscles to tighten that causes pain in the back and neck.  Even headaches are a common side effects of stress.
  2. Trauma can be in two forms.  Macro trauma is a fall, accident or lifting a heavy object.  This is often the most common thought of method of injury for patients.  Micro trauma on the other hand is repetitive motions and activities.  Like sitting at a desk, texting, driving and even sleeping.  This is actually the most common mechanism of injury for most patients.  
  3. Toxins are either drugs or food.  Drugs can be a whole list of things, prescription, recreational, alcohol, caffeine etc.  Everything that goes into your body has a reaction in some way.  A common side effect of a chronic coffee drinker is mid back tightness and subluxations.  When I say food I mean junk food or fast food.  Of course healthy eating is the start of it all.  Mom was right, “you are what you eat.”

What does a subluxation feel like?

A subluxation usually causes pain along the spine in the facet joints with tightness in the muscles around that area.  It can also cause radiating pain into an arm or leg.  It can feel like a fixation, “I can’t turn my head as far to the right as the left.”  It can even have no pain at all.  Whoa!  That’s right the vertebrae can rotate and not cause pressure on the nerve root at all.  But that rotation makes you more susceptible to more rotation and injury causing pain and compression.  How many candles do you think you can leave burning before your house catches on fire?

Chiropractic is safe, gentle and effective.  Why aren’t you getting adjusted?