If you are considering your first visit to Dr. Nathen Horst, odds are good that you are doing so as a result of ongoing neck or back pain. Furthermore, it is likely that you have already tried more than one over the counter medication. You may also have tried prescription medications and one or more rounds of physical therapy.

The truth is that chiropractic is often the treatment of last resort for many people who are suffering from back or neck pain. On top of that, research has shown that back or neck pain is the most common cause for people to make their first visit to a chiropractor, so you are in good company!

Your first visit to see Dr. Horst will include a thorough examination, including x-rays and a complete medical history, which is known as a report of findings. When he discusses this with you, he may mention that you have one or more vertebral subluxations as the cause of your pain. What exactly are vertebral subluxations, what causes them, and how can they be treated?

What Are Vertebral Subluxations?

The vertebral sublaxation is, in fact, the very foundation of chiropractic care. Your spinal column helps carry signals back and forth from your brain to various parts of your body. Such signals include how and where to move certain muscles to allow you to walk, sit, or stand. The nerves that carry these messages to and from your brain pass through the spinal column, and then branch out to various points of your body. Your vertebrae protect your spinal column and the various places where the nerves branch out.

Subluxations can occur if the vertebrae shift out of their proper alignment. If this happens, the nerves can get pinched or constricted, which can interfere with proper signal movement to and from the brain. This may also cause pain, soreness, and stiffness at various points along your neck or back.

What Can Cause Subluxations?

Physical trauma: This cause is perhaps the easiest to understand. Something such as a car accident or a fall down stairs can cause the vertebrae to go out of alignment, leading to pain. Whiplash as a result of a rear end collision in a car is an excellent example of a sublaxation as a result of physical trauma.

Nutritional imbalances: The spinal column depends upon surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons to keep it in proper alignment. If these muscles become lax, the individual vertebrae can shift out of alignment. Examples of such imbalances can include a lack of certain nutrients, such as calcium or vitamin D.

Stress: This is the most common cause for vertebral subluxations. Something as seemingly simple as hunching over a computer, carrying a heavy backpack, or slouching can shift the position of the vertebrae over time as a result of your muscles being forced to adjust to accommodate holding your body in such positions. Even stress can cause these subluxations, as a result from tensing your shoulders or clenching your jaw.

You may think that carrying an overloaded backpack may not be such a big deal, or that stress is purely psychological, but the truth is that both of these can do cumulative damage to your spine over time. Understanding what can cause vertebral subluxations is the first step toward recovery from neck and back pain.