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Chiropractic Subluxation.
The concept of a chiropractic subluxation between two vertebrae has been one of the fundamental components of our theories since the founding of the profession.
FIXATIONToday, the chiropractic subluxation is understood to be an area of HYPOmobility, or reduced movement. It is often simply called a fixation.The significance of these fixations is that it has now been scientifically proved that two important things happen:
These progressive and permanent degenerative changes within the joint are called Immobilisation Degeneration. (ID) This existence of Immobilisation Degeneration is now supported by decades of multi-disciplinary research. It's not some newly concocted chiropractic theory and, what's more, forms the basis of many orthopaedic protocols. For example, after knee surgery, the surgeon usually requires that the knee immediately be placed in motion. These proven cellular changes are detected by noci-receptors within the degenerating joint. They start bombarding the spinal cord with noxious neurological impulses, only 10% of which are registered in the brain as pain. The remaining 90% have a proven effect on the sympathetic nervous system seriously adversely the whole body, and especially the arterial blood supply to organs. A bit of neurology ...Ever wonder why people shake their hand after they jam their fingers in a car door? Or rub their head after they bump it?Mechano-receptors in the tissues send important messages to the brain enabling it to coordinate movement. At the same time, these mechanoreceptors send messages to the spinal cord inhibiting noxious bombardment from nociceptors reducing both the pain perceived in the brain, and the noxious stimulation of the nervous system. So, shaking your hand, and rubbing a sore spot stimulates mechanoreceptors which in turn send important messages inhibiting pain. At a micro level ...Movement of a joint keeps it healthy, by stimulating the movement of fluids which bathe the joint cartilage. Simultaneously, as stated these mechanoreceptors bombard the spinal cord with impulses inhibiting any pain messages that are being received from nociceptors.Conversely, subluxations very quickly cause degeneration of that selfsame joint cartilage, causing nociceptors to fire off barrages of noxious impulses. Simultaneously, the mechanoreceptors that should be inhibiting those noxious impulses, are themselves inhibited by the fixation within the joint. The result? A double-whammy of progressive degeneration and pain.
For us as a profession, and ordinary chiropractors on the ground it is heartening that there is a growing body of evidence, from both within and outside the discipline, that supports many of chiropractic's basic concepts. Evidence which now proves that spinal joint fixation can and does lead to significant health problems becomes more compelling as more is learned.
For a fuller explanation of CHIROPRACTIC SUBLUXATION go to VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATION COMPLEX
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