Services & Techniques

If you follow Nelson Chiropractic on social media you likely hear me use the word subluxation at least once or a twice a week. Once you figured out how to say it you were probably wondering, what does that even mean? Great question! Allow me to explain. The American Chiropractic Association defines a subluxation as “A complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.”

You had to reread that twice, didn’t you and it probably still doesn’t make much sense? Don’t worry, I’ll try to break this down for you. Most spinal segments have 6 joints and these joints move, hence ‘articular.’ The bones of the spinal column are designed to protect the very delicate nerves while allowing movement. Not only do the nerves go down the center of the spine, but they also exit on each side through an opening called a foramen. All 6 joints (2 discs and 4 facets) are in very close proximity of those nerves. If those joints aren’t moving PERFECTLY, it affects the nerves that leave the spine. 

Think of a bundle of nerves exiting the spinal column much like a bundle of wires leaving a fuse box. Each nerve has a very specific job to do. The nerves that control the biceps do not control the triceps – or the liver, or bladder, or insert any other body part you can think of. Some communicate pain, but most control the function of our bodies. If your nerves between the brain and the cell they are intended to communicate with can’t operate properly, the problem might be at the joints where they exit the spine. We call this problem a subluxation. 

The chiropractor usually palpates the spine to better understand how that segment is not moving properly. Once the segment is analyzed, a very specific force is applied to that bone to make the correction. Much like ‘breaking it lose’ rather then ‘putting back into place.’ Ribs don’t go ‘out’. Hips in a chiropractic office don’t go ‘out.’ They subluxate. My job as a chiropractor is to find the areas not working, apply a pressure or force, and assist the body in getting these segments to move better. In turn, this affects the nervous system, which affects your entire body.