You many not know this, but there is a word which is either the bane or the glory of almost every chiroprator out there. That word is “subluxation” pronounced sub lux a (long a) shun). Don’t ask why there is so much controversy. Suffice it to say that people squabble over semantics. What is important is to understand the concept.

The literal translation of the word subluxation is minor dislocation. “Sub” means minor or small and “to lux” means to dislocate. When the modern founders of chiropractic started using the term, the thought process was that vertebrae would sublux from its natural position. This minor dislocation would then pinch on the nerve root which exits in between the vertebrae. Pinching the nerve root wouild then lead to poor communication along that nerve channel to the intended organs. Poor communication would then lead to disease.

Makes sense, right? Well, through the years we have learned more. First off, it doesn’t take a dislocation to cause problems with the nerve root. All it takes is a little bit of irritation. This can happen from direct contact from the vertebra, muscle, ligament, whatever, or from inflammation in the area. The point being, the vertebra doesn’t have to shift and pinch the nerve to create what we think of as a subluxation. If the joints of the vertebrae are funcitoning properly in any form that is enought to create irritation of the nereve root and therefore disease.

The goal then for chiropractic patients is to strive to reduce one’s subluxations in order to improve one’s health. So, when we get down to it, chiropractors find these areas of dysfunction and help train the joints to funciton properly.