Subluxation Defined: Understanding Spinal Misalignments & Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic medicine revolves around the theory of subluxation. Understanding the definition of subluxation is the first step toward understanding how a trip to the chiropractor fixes not just your aching back, but also other physical complaints.

Definition

• The World Chiropractic Alliance gives the definition of subluxation as a condition wherein the individual vertebrae in the spinal column are misplaced, or moved from their natural position.

History

• The theory behind treating the body by correcting subluxation originated with D. D. Palmer, the father of modern chiropractic medicine and the founder of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, who performed the first recorded chiropractic adjustments in 1895.

Significance

• Subluxation is the main problem chiropractic professionals work to fix. According to the Palmer Chiropractic Center, subluxation pinches the spinal nerves, interfering with the signals they normally send to the body, which can cause a variety of physical problems.

Function

• Chiropractors believe subluxations cause the body to react, inducing conditions such as muscle and back pain, bowel problems, digestive disorders, stiffness, headaches and many other health problems. In theory, fixing the subluxation relieves these problems.

Components

• Chiropractors often refer to subluxation as vertebral subluxation complex, because they recognize five components of the condition: the bone component, nerve component, muscle component, soft tissue component and chemical component, which all contribute to the physical symptoms a patient experiences.