It’s easy to forget about our wellness when we’re too focused on the everyday hustle and bustle of our lives. Little do we know, the safety and security of our health are often placed on the back burner, waiting to be rekindled when a crisis arises. And of these potential crises our body may encounter is subluxation. If you’re not sure if you’re also a victim of this condition, here are some important facts you need to know about subluxation and how you can alleviate it.

What Is Subluxation And How Does It Affect You?

Subluxation is the partial misalignment of joints, particularly the spine, which affects the communication between your body and your brain. Many individuals are unaware of this condition because it is not as popular as diseases like diabetes, arthritis, etc. However, subluxation should not be taken lightly because it can lead to a wide variety of health problems if left untreated.

What’s the Best Treatment for Subluxation?

While the condition can be a pressing concern, it can be treated with ease when addressed immediately. And the best way to do this is by consulting with an expert chiropractor. Chiropractic treatment is a known remedy for this condition because it uses non-invasive ways to correct the alignment of your body’s joints. The treatment involves no drugs or surgery, making it the safest, healthy choice for those suffering from subluxation.

Types of Spinal Misalignment

When getting treatment, diagnosis is done to determine the kind and level of spinal misalignment. Some of the most common types include:

Shoulder Subluxation

Partial misalignment of the shoulder results in limited body movement since the shoulder is the most mobile joint. In addition, someone may encounter it because of a stroke, injury, or trauma leading to the weakening of the arm muscles.

Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of a shoulder subluxation include:

• Swelling
• Pain
• Deformed shoulder
• Numbness or tightness of the arm
• Difficulty moving the joint

Vertebral Subluxation 

An injury in the spine due to a severe fall or a blow may result also in spinal misalignment. This causes the immobility of the spine’s joints. Not to mention, it also involves the misalignment of the spinal bones. When this happens, it alters the communication of the body and the brain.

Elbow Subluxation

Partial dislocation of the elbow affects the radial head in the elbow joint. Oftentimes, the cause of this condition is when someone falls on their hands without properly bracing their fall.

Children aged six and below are prone to this condition, also known as nursemaid’s elbow, babysitter’s elbow, or pulled elbow. Since the children are still young and their bones and muscles are developing, dislocation might quickly happen when their arms are roughly pulled.

Symptoms

You will know that your elbow has partial misalignment if you encounter the following:

• Inability to use to the injured arm
• A painful sensation when flexing the arm
• Difficulty moving the elbow

How to Prevent Elbow Subluxation for Kids?

It’s very crucial to remember these prevention tips when babysitting a child to avoid injuring them:

• Keep away from pulling a child’s arm roughly or suddenly.
• Don’t hold a child’s arm or wrist and swing or sway them. Instead, hold their armpits when lifting or carrying them. 
• Avoid pulling a child in the opposite direction, especially if the kid is pulling in one direction.

Patellar Subluxation

You may experience patellar partial spinal misalignment when your kneecap is injured or unstable. This is usually caused by an extreme activity or contact sport. While this may seem manageable, failure to treat the kneecap can actually lead to disability.

Symptoms

The sign and symptoms of knee partial spinal misalignment are as follow:

• A painful sensation when sitting or extending the limb
• Popping or cracking of the knee
• Swelling or soreness in the knee
• Locking of the knee

Treatments

Experts can treat this condition through:

• Braces and tape
• Physical therapy
• Choice of shoes
• Surgery

Causes of Subluxation

Despite all the symptoms listed above, an individual may experience joint misalignment without knowing that the condition occurs. Therefore, it’s necessary to know its causes to prevent oneself from harming the body. 

Some factors that cause partial spinal misalignment include:

• Hyperextended joints
• Overuse or repetitive injuries
• Blunt force injuries such as falls, slips, injury from sports, car accidents
• Poor posture, repetitive movements, improper twisting, lifting, or sleeping position
• Poor diet, consumption of alcohol or drugs, or pollution
• Old age, weakening joints
• Stress, fear, anxiousness, and other negative feelings that affect the immune system

Furthermore, it’s important to note that subluxation is the body’s answer to stress. Thus, if a person is physically, mentally, or emotionally stressed, there can be tension in the muscles that can significantly affect the joints’ mobility.

Signs and Symptoms

Unlike other diseases, the symptoms of this condition can be different from one person to the other. Nonetheless, knowing the most common signs of subluxation will help you address the problem right away. Here are just some of them:

• Dizzy sensation
• Feeling sore in the joints
• Immobility
• Painful extremities
• Tight and weak spinal muscles

When you start experiencing any of these, it’s advisable to consult your chiropractor immediately. They will help you determine the severity of the misalignment and alleviate its potential effects.

Effects of Partial Misalignment

While the misalignment only happens in the joints, the whole body can suffer as well. The central nervous system is responsible for controlling the tissues, cells, organs, and systems in the body. And if you have a misaligned joint, the various parts of the body are affected because the brain and the body won’t be able to communicate properly.

Thus, some possible effects of subluxation are as follows:

• Inability to properly absorb nutrients from food
• A tendency towards illnesses or breathing problems
• Lack of strength and stamina

Moreover, the entire body may deteriorate in just a short time. Hence, prolonging the condition will only result in more pressing health problems.

Health Issues Caused By partial spinal misalignment

Apart from the health concerns mentioned above, there are specific problems you may encounter if you fail to treat your subluxation immediately. These include:

• Headaches
• Back pains
• Neck pains
• Sports injuries
• Bursitis and tendonitis
• Trauma
• Leg pain

Other Treatments for Subluxation

Apart from chiropractic treatment, here are other ways you may consider to help address the condition:

Medication

A doctor can prescribe you some medicine to alleviate the torturing pain brought by subluxation. However, this may be a band-aid solution that only addresses the problem temporarily.

Rehabilitation

Stretching and exercises can help to strengthen the joint’s muscles and ligaments. Hence, it can help in preventing partial misalignment or ease the pain if it has already occurred.

Surgery

For severe subluxation, methods other than surgery won’t suffice. This is for extreme cases wherein the joint’s ligaments, muscles, bones, nerves, and blood vessels are badly damaged.

Rest

Just like with any other body pain or condition, getting enough rest is the most basic way of coping. Allowing your body to relax and recover can help you get rid of the pain faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before you attempt to address the problem, here are some frequently asked questions about subluxation that you should ponder on.

Can Subluxations Clear up on Their Own?

Our bodies have the incredible ability to heal themselves. Thus, a subluxation can clear up on its own after some time. Moreover, it’s normal to encounter minor misalignment in our daily routines. And these usually go back into their proper positions when we stretch, walk, bend, or exercise. However, when the misalignment needs professional help, don’t procrastinate and visit your chiropractor immediately.

Can I Tell If I Have a Subluxation?

The truth is, you may have a minor joint misalignment, but you are unaware of it. However, chiropractors have the expertise to determine if you have this condition. They can check patients through postural analysis. In addition, the following equipment may help them to know such conditions:

• Surface electromyography
• X-ray
• Thermal scanning

How to Prevent More Damage?

Asking the help of your chiropractor and having chiropractic treatment will prevent your body from more harm. But, unfortunately, some misalignments don’t cause any symptoms, and before you know it, your subluxation is already causing another health concern.

Keep in mind that small misalignments become prominent and can cause more trouble when not tended right away. Hence, fixing them right away helps make the situation better.