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What is a Subluxation?
Subluxation is a term used in the chiropractic field to describe what happens when one of the vertebrae in your spine moves out of position and interferes with normal nerve function. The word subluxation is derived from the Latin words meaning less than or below (sub) and to dislocate (luxate). When this happens, the misaligned vertebra stops moving normally and/ or creates pressure and stress on the spinal nerves, blood vessels, and surrounding muscles. This lack of motion, pressure 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 different stages of subluxation degeneration set in.
Subluxations are results of physical, chemical and/or mental stresses interfering with normal nervous system function. Subluxations can occur in a number of ways... falls, sports, a car accident, bicycle wrecks, the birth process (child and/or the mother,) sudden jar or slip, sports, or reoccurring micro-traumas are all examples of common instances that can create a subluxation. Other physical causes of subluxation come from daily actions such as repetitive job duties, sitting at a computer all day, improper sleeping position, poor posture, a driving job, incorrect lifting processes, and lack of proper exercise, etc.
Chiropractors are specialists in correcting spinal subluxations and other extremity misalignments. A chiropractor can restore the misaligned vertebrae to their proper position in the spinal column. They do this manually by using the chiropractic procedure known as spinal adjustment. Your chiropractor, in most cases, will use his or her hands in applying corrective pressure to the spine in a specific direction and location. The manual force or thrust helps restore the alignment and mobility of the vertebrae. In some cases, the chiropractor may use instruments to detect a subluxation and adjust the spine. Under normal circumstances, chiropractic adjustments are painless. In cases of trauma, such as car accident, some discomfort may be experienced due to inflammation. It is also common to feel a brief sensation in the extremities immediately following an adjustment due to the sudden decompression of the affected nerve root.
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