Key Principles

Subluxation 

The focus of treatment of chiropractors is subluxation.

A subluxation (or Vertebral Subluxation) is when one or more of the bones of your spine (vertebrae) move out of position and put pressure on or irritate spinal nerves. Spinal nerves are the nerves that come out from between each of the bones in your spine. This pressure or irritation on the nerves causes the spinal nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.

Your nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of your body. If you interfere with the signals traveling over the nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to work properly

The American Association of Chiropractic Colleges has defined subluxation as "a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural [nervous system] integrity and may influence organ system and general health." The cause of this spinal misalignment is considered to be anything from poor posture, a muscle spasm, an accident, or a sports injury to a birth defect. 

Thus subluxation refers to a partial dislocation in a joint comprised of two vertebra. There is a misalignment of the vertebra in the joint, but not severe enough to cause a complete dislocation.

The basis of chiropractic theory is that subluxations alter the normal neurophysiologic functioning in the person. D. D. Palmer, founder of modern chiropractic, coined the term subluxation to describe a misalignment of vertebra that results in undue pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Another term sometimes used to describe this condition is "segmental dysfunction," referring to a segment of the spine. 

To Palmer a subluxation was a joint problem in the spine in which the flow of Innate Intelligence is disturbed or impeded. 

The inappropriate pressure on nerves (nerve "reflex") caused by subluxation is what causes disturbance in the bodily functions supplied by those nerves and can make the person more vulnerable to disease processes. 

Chiropractors look for interferences in the nervous system in the form of subluxations and remove those interferences to allow the nervous system to function at a higher level. When the nervous system functions at a higher level, the body will begin to heal itself.

Next Topic:  Vertebral Subluxation Complex