Vertebral subluxation refers to a set of signs and symptoms that affect the spinal column. Specifically, it is a complex that occurs when the bones of the spine lose their usual position and motion due to chemical imbalances, alcohol, prolonged sitting, trauma or even stress. An automobile accident and improper lifting are just two types of trauma that can cause vertebral subluxation complex, or VSC.
How Does Vertebral Subluxation Complex Affect the Body?
The term “complex” is associated with vertebral subluxation because, as the word suggests, the condition is multifaceted and consists of many elements. This is because VSC is the underlying cause of health care problems. When one or more vertebrae are misplaced or fail to carry out their intended motion, they can disrupt the function of the nervous system. The vertebral bones are designed to contain and guard this system, so interference can lead to pressure on the spinal cord or the nerve roots as they pass out of the spinal column. When VSC presents, a number of things can happen to affect the spine, its related soft tissues, and even the tissues and organs controlled by the affected nerves.
Vertebral Subluxation Complex and Its Five Interrelated Parts
VSC typically has — and is — identified by five major interconnected components, including:
- Spinal kinesiopathology. This component sounds much like vertebral subluxation itself. Here, the bones of the spine have lost their natural motion and position, making it difficult for the patient to turn and bend. It sets the other four components in motion.
- Myopathology. When the muscles sustaining the spine weaken, atrophy or become stiff, they can go into spasm. This can result in scar tissue that changes the muscle tone.
- Neuropathophysiology. If the spine functions improperly, it can obstruct, stretch or agitate nerve tissue. Nerve tissue is delicate. Irritation in these ways can cause nerve system dysfunction and lead to aggravating symptoms elsewhere in the body.
- Histopathology. A patient’s body temperature can rise due to an increase in blood and lymph supplies. This, in turn, can lead to inflammation and swelling, which can then cause discs to protrude, tear, herniate or deteriorate.
- Pathophysiology. This is when abnormal bony growths like bone spurs try to meld faulty spinal joints, leading to decay of the spine, scar tissue and nerve dysfunction.
The articles within this section discuss each of the five components further.
How Chiropractic Treatments Can Help
Your chiropractor will not only detect and minimize VSC, but, once the spinal bones are back in their normal position and have regained their natural function, he or she will try to prevent the problem from recurring. Chiropractic treatments, particularly spinal adjustments, can be used to treat VSC and ward off its associated symptoms.
To find out how chiropractic treatments can be designed to address your particular VSC-related condition, contact your practitioner.
-
Scoliosis
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Chronic Condition Relief
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that causes stiffness and pain. People with scoliosis have a sideways curve in their spine that makes an "S" or "C" shape.
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that causes stiffness and pain. It is called an idiopathic disease because the cause of it
Read more
-
PMS
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Chronic Condition Relief, Conditions Affecting Women
Several studies have shown that chiropractic care can help decrease many of the symptoms of PMS without the potential side effects of prescription drugs.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is characterized by mood swings, swollen abdomen, headaches, back pain, food cravings, fatigue, irritability or depression
Read more
-
Pinched Nerve
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Body Pain
When nerves become 'pinched', injury, spasm, and inflammation of the surrounding muscles causes the nerve to become compressed, resulting in pain.
The term "pinched nerve" is somewhat of a catch-all phrase that is commonly used to describe the pain associated with a variety of conditions from subluxations,
Read more
-
Osteoporosis
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Chronic Condition Relief
Although most chiropractors don't directly treat Osteoporosis, chiropractic care directly addresses spinal misalignments, which in turn directly impact proper functioning of the nerve system..
Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease involving loss of bone tissue and the disorganization of bone structure.
Read more
-
Ear Infections
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Pediatric Ailments
If your child experiences recurrent ear infections, chiropractic can help by restoring normal drainage of the lymphatic vessels.
Almost half of all children will suffer from at least one middle ear infection (otitis media) before they're a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one
Read more
-
Carpal Tunnel
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Repetitive Use Injuries
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) has become one of the most widespread occupational health problems we face today. It affects millions of people a year, and with our growing reliance on computers there seems to be no end in sight.The syndrome is caused by pressure on the median nerve just above the wrist.
Read more
-
Auto Accidents
Category:
Common Conditions Treated, Auto Accident Injuries
Numerous studies have shown that years after auto accident victims settle their insurance claims, roughly half of them state that they still suffer with symptoms from their injuries.
If you have been involved in a car accident, your injuries need to be taken very seriously. Because symptoms of some
Read more
-
The Long Game
Category:
Newsletter Library, Wellness
We've heard a lot lately regarding how certain nations play a long game in terms of regional influence and global geopolitics. The concept of a so-called long game is interesting in that it implies a more than common degree of patience and a commitment to outcomes that are evaluated over decades and
Read more
-
The Quest for Strong Abs
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
The abs rule. As a result of this not-so-subtle imperative, a flat abdominal musculature is one of the primary goals of all exercise programs. Flat abdominals have great aesthetic appeal, not only to the "owner" of those abs, but also to the person's spouse or partner.
Of course, a flat abdominal musculature
Read more
-
Forty Winks
Category:
Newsletter Library, Wellness
When we think of healthful lifestyle choices we generally consider requirements for a healthy diet and regular vigorous exercise. We want to be sure we're eating a wide variety of foods from the primary food groups and that we’re careful to watch our daily calorie intake. In the realm of exercise,
Read more
-
The Four Seasons
Category:
Newsletter Library, Wellness
Change is an undeniable force that impacts everything. Nothing in the physical world, either on Earth or in the Universe itself, is able to resist change and ultimate decay. Supernovas, for example, are the final explosive moments of massive stars. Our own changes through life are not as dramatic, but
Read more
-
Your Wellness Profile
Category:
Newsletter Library, Wellness
All of us have had health-related issues at some time or other. Whether it's low back pain, headaches, asthma, gastritis, an ankle sprain, or a rotator cuff injury, we've all had a health problem that ultimately needed treatment. Chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and various types
Read more
-
Self-Actualization and Regular Chiropractic Care
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
Whether you're going out for a walk or a run, to the gym to lift weights, or to the pool to swim a few laps, the self-affirmation involved in the concept of "going out" or "going to" something for the sake of exercise is quite substantial. For most of us, it takes an extra effort, an extra application
Read more
-
The Skating Rink
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
In his 1856 journal, the great American philosopher and naturalist Henry David Thoreau wrote, "I love the winter, with its imprisonment and its cold, for it compels the prisoner to try new fields and resources." Thoreau, a fearless explorer of inner and outer landscapes, welcomed opportunities to learn
Read more
-
Rejuvenation Versus Resignation
Category:
Newsletter Library, Wellness
Rejuvenation Versus Resignation
This is the time of the new year when our recently made resolutions are put to the test. Were they holiday-fueled imaginings or meaningful expressions of our heart's true desires? Are our resolutions sturdy things that will help us carry out our goals and plans for the
Read more
-
Taking Care in Winter Weather
Category:
Newsletter Library, Exercise & Fitness
The onset of winter does not signal the end of exercise and outdoors activities. There's plenty of skiing and snowboarding available in the Northeast, the American Rockies, across Canada, and even in Southern California. For those who like their exercise with less dramatic velocity and acceleration,
Read more