Dobbins Chiropractic
Vertebral subluxation complex
When a vertebra becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, chiropractors call that a subluxation, or more precisely the vertebral subluxation complex. It can follow something as small as a slip or a bump, or something sudden such as a car accident. A subluxated vertebra can put pressure on nerves, blood vessels, and other nearby structures.
That pressure interrupts the nerve pathways that carry messages to and from the brain. If the subluxation stays untreated, the spine and nearby structures such as discs can begin to degenerate.
Degeneration becomes harder to reverse as time passes and the surrounding muscles, nerves, and bones adapt to the new shape. The body will compensate in other areas. The longer a subluxation is left alone, the longer treatment usually takes to return the vertebra toward its normal position.
A vertebral subluxation can be described by five components:
- Spinal kinesiopathology, the movement of the bones
- Neuropathophysiology, nerve dysfunction
- Myopathology, muscle changes
- Histopathology, tissue damage
- Pathophysiology, abnormal growth and function
Chiropractors are trained in the manipulation of soft and hard tissue. Small, quick movements can reposition a vertebra. With treatment, a vertebral subluxation can be corrected back toward healthier function.