THE SUBLUXATION
The vertebral subluxation is what we commonly call a pinched nerve. It happens when a vertebra gets misaligned and touches or invades the space of the nerve roots that go along the intervertebral space. The nerve receives more or less pressure from the vertebra and this causes interference in the transmission of the vital messages between the brain and the rest of the body.
In the 90% of the cases, the subluxation does not produce physical pain, because only 10% of the nerves are associated with pain fibers. However its harmful effect, even if we don’t perceive it, is immediate and weakens the body and its performance in every level.
The specialty of the Chiropractic Doctor is to find and fix the vertebral subluxations, allowing the body´s innate capacity to regenerate, adapt, heal, and thrive as it was meant to.
WHAT CAUSES A SUBLUXATION
They may appear from different causes, given that the individual finds himself daily exposed to physical, chemical and emotional stress.
- PHYSICAL CAUSES: traumas in the body (falls, accidents, hits…), repetitive movements that affect our spine, bad posture habits in daily life and at work, and a weak spinal muscles or not balanced.
- CHEMICAL CAUSES: unbalanced diets, taking drugs or alcohol, ingestion of toxins in our food, the water we drink, the air we breathe. The chemical substances are harmful because they lower the good functioning of our body and reduce its ability to successfully adapt and resist the internal and external stress making us more susceptible to subluxations and its consequences.
- EMOTIONAL CAUSES: an excessive or constant every day stress can lower the ability of the body to maintain its normal function. The impact of the emotional stress over the physical health is well documented in medical research which says that can have devastating effects over the immune system, making the body more vulnerable to injuries or illnesses.
THE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT
“The chiropractic adjustment unleashes the power that exist within us, to be better connected, fulfilled and in union with our body, and that way, touch, give, receive, live and learn better”
B. J. PALMER D.C.
A chiropractic adjustment is a soft and specific movement of the spine that the chiropractors make using their hands. They are adapted to each individual, so that they can adjust any person, from babies, athletes or older people.
An adjustment could seem different from one chiropractor to another, this is because of their physical differences: height, hands, etc… and also because of different techniques they may use. But all chiropractors have the same goal: “eliminate and correct subluxations”.
Once the chiropractor made the adjustment needed, your body will process the information and will make the corrections it needs in the spine and nervous system.