Subluxation: What’s causing your back pain?

From a chiropractic standpoint, subluxation (or vertebral subluxation) is a form of back pain caused by irritation to a nerve on the spine. Because the nerves are located in between each bone in your spine, the pain could occur anywhere along it.  Subluxations can cause more problems than simply pain. Because they are located in the nerves, they can interfere with how your body sends nerve messages, which can have negative effects on many of your body’s functions, including how it heals itself.

Chiropractors are the only medical professionals who receive training in identifying this type of subluxation, and they are the only ones experienced in treating it.

Chiropractor Subluxation Treatment

Treatment for subluxation involves regular visits to a chiropractor for spinal adjustments. Spinal manipulation, the technique used during adjustment, has been shown to reduce the pain of subluxation and is also effective in treating other types of back pain.

Depending on your specific chiropractic care provider, the methods used to locate a subluxation could vary. Some of these include:

• X-ray
• Manual spinal examination
• Measuring skin temperature in the area near the spine

 

Medical Subluxation

It’s important to note that the medical and chiropractic definitions of subluxation are different. Medical subluxation is not related to nerve pain at all, but refers to the uncharacteristic movement of one or more of the bones that make up a joint. It does not constitute full dislocation, but rather, a partial one.

Common forms of medical subluxation include:

• Radial Elbow Subluxation (Nursemaid’s Elbow). This is a dislocation of the elbow caused by a tugging on the arm.
• Shoulder Subluxation. This is a partial dislocation in which the ball portion of the shoulder joint slips fractionally out of the socket.
• Patellar Subluxation. This occurs when the kneecap does not slide correctly during bending of the knee.

 

Although medical treatment is first necessary for these types of injuries, a chiropractor may be able to help with pain management.