In simplest terms, a subluxation (a.k.a. Vertebral Subluxation) is when a vertebrae (a bone in the spine or back bone) stops moving propertly and creates pressure on, or irritates 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 then causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the signals traveling over those nerves.
How does this affect you? Your nervous system controls and coordinates all the functions of your body. If you interfere with the signals traveling over nerves, parts of your body will not get the proper nerve messages and will not be able to function at 100% of their innate or inborn abilities. In other words, some part of your body will not be working properly.
The role of the Doctor of Chiropractic is to locate subluxations, and reduce or correct them. This is done through a series of chiropractic adjustments specifically designed to correct the vertebral subluxations in your spine. Chiropractors are the only professionals who undergo years of training to be the experts at the detection and correction of spinal subluxations.
For more information on vertebral subluxation, visit the following websites:
http://www.chiropracticresearch.org/understanding_subluxations.htm
http://www.vertebralsubluxation.org/
http://www.dcpracticeinsights.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?t=17&id=38527
