What is a Subluxation?

Some of you may be wondering what this word SUBLUXATION means. Yeah it is not a word that you hear in everyday medicine because it is a term that is used in chiropractic only. There are many definitions of subluxation and how it functions in the body. Here is a general definition how B.J. defined it. "A condition of a vertebra that has lost its proper juxtaposition with the one above or the one below or both, to an extent less than a luxation, which occludes an opening, impinges nerves and interferes with the transmission of mental impulses from the brain." 

Some of you are thinking, "ah a pinched nerve." But there is a lot more to it than just a simple pinched nerve or a bone that is out of place.
There are many different opinions on what a subluxation is; some chiropractors even differ on what they see subluxation as, some don't even believe it exists. This lack of continuity is what has held us back from a more unified group of practitioners. There is often more debate on why one's practice method or definition of subluxation is wrong then there is on the similarities. For the purposes of this post I will stick with the definition above in the context of upper cervical.
The physiological aspects of a subluxation deal with a bone that has lost its proper position and nerve that is being interfered with, these are core principles to subluxation. This interference is often likened unto a garden hose. As the hose is obstructed, i.e. stepped on the flow diminishes. But subluxation is not just a diminished flow of nerve impulses; there could be too much flow or an abnormal pattern of flow. It all comes down to an abnormal flow of the nerve impulses to and or from the brain.

The nerves are part of a system, there are nerves that take signals from the environment and send the signals to the brain, like the incoming mail. Then there are responses that come from the brain to the environment. Now I want to clarify something here the environment that I speak of could be the skin, the digestive system, the heart or circulatory system, and all the other parts of the body that are controlled and regulated by the nervous system. When there are problems with the flow of the signal to and from the brain the results will have problems and this is the basis for the cause of disease. It all comes together now as you process what a subluxation is and how it works.

In upper cervical it is the top two bones in the neck that are most important. All nerves in the body are associated with this area whether it is direct or indirect, this is a crucial area. They either pass through these two bones, which is every nerve minus the twelve that are called cranial nerves, or they are associated with it by connections or synapses in the area. Minor stress on the tissue can cause a malfunction and again this abnormal flow is what can cause disease.

Subluxation is not the beginning of disease it is again a result of an outside force acting on the body. I am going to talk briefly on what are the possible causes of subluxation. Some are subjective but none the less relevant. The obvious cause is a traumatic force. Slips, a blow to the body, car accident, child birth, and anything that can transfer energy into the body via motion are all things that can cause a subluxation. Now there are the more hidden causes; sleeping on your stomach or sleeping poorly, bad posture, lack of exercise, diet, stress, and many more unknown contributors. These are the root causes of subluxation that in turn can cause disease in the body.

This information is a brief overview of the term subluxation and how it can cause disease in a person. There are many causes of a subluxation and many problems associated with them, but Ihope you have a better understanding of what subluxation is and is it possible that you may have one that you have been living with for years and not known that it could be the cause of you XYZ problem.
For those of you that are visual learners here is a brief clip on what subluxation is.
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What is upper Cervical Care

Some people may ask how Upper Cervical Chiropractic is different than regular chiropractic and it is very simple to answer. Just as there are many different variety of medical doctors that rely on different philosophy and specialization, chiropractic is similar. There are those that want to focus on children, or maybe sport injuries, or spinal decompression, nutrition,, massage therapy, physical therapy, or even personal injury patients. Some are a jack of all trades, but most of the time that means a master of none.

Upper Cervical doctors focus in one area and know it like the back of their hands. They are a master of the technique which is one of the hardest to master. In Italy where chiropractic is beggining to take root there is a distinction between Upper Cervical doctors and Chiropractors. The upper cervical doctor is accepted and works along side medical doctors in hospitals, Chiropractors are shunned and not put on equal ground. There is a difference and not just by name only.

Philosophy is what sets chiropractors apart. Whatever their specialty they need to have a personal philosophy, a reason why they do what they do. This is what sets Upper Cervical apart from your standard chiropractor that you may be use to. They see the body as a self healing machine that can heal itself, given the right amount of time and lack of interference, a term you may have herd of as subluxation. But what makes them unique is Upper Cervical sees the top two bones in the neck as the gateway to the body and when "subluxated" they are the primary cause of ailments. Do you ever wonder what is causing the symptoms that you have, XYZ disease right? But have you ever thought why you have XYZ, what caused the body to allow XYZ to happen? What bad lifestyle choices did you make that helped XYZ along its path? There is a problem with the communication from the brain to the body and or  from the body to the brain. If the body can't understand what is happening to it, then it can't respond to it properly thus causing disease. This idea is core to Upper Cervical philosophy.

This video gives a brief introduction to what Upper Cervical Chiropractic is and how it is set apart from other forms of chiropractic.

This is an introduction to the concept of Upper Cervical Health Care and how everyone can benefit from care.