Vertebral Subluxation Complexes, or subluxations, are partial dislocations of spinal tissue. All the nerves to our body branch out of the spine. When something in the spinal column is misaligned or swollen, a nerve leading to elsewhere in the body may be compressed at its root. This would cause shocks, tingling, or numbness along that nerve’s length. Pain in the shoulder or arm, for example, may be caused by subluxations in the roots of nerves that emerge from the neck, and pain in the hip and leg may be caused by subluxations in the lower back. But even if a nerve isn’t being compressed, a blood vessel could be, and the inflammation that results from a subluxation could cause local soreness. As a person adjusts their posture to compensate for pain, they put excessive pressure on other parts of their musculoskeletal system, causing further wear and tear. Minor frays that accumulate from long-term strain put people at greater risk for acute injuries, which could require more serious interventions to treat.
At Hopkinton’s Cedar Chiropractic and Sports, we take the guesswork out of adjustments. Dr. Nguyen uses Pro-Adjuster software to monitor a patient’s spinal column for areas that have too much or too little flexibility. Our adjuster instruments allow us to make precision adjustments, protecting patients from excessive force. Chiropractic adjustments gently move a patient’s subluxated tissues back into place, taking pressure off the surrounding nerves and blood vessels and allowing the body to complete its healing without interference to neurosignals or nutrition and oxygen delivery. Once subluxations have been dealt with, patients will have less need for anti-inflammatory medications and will be able to practice posture and therapeutic exercises that will strengthen their back and core muscles, making them less vulnerable to frays and dislocations in the future.