Overview

Your spine is made up of many structures including bones called vertebrae.  Subluxation occurs when a vertebra shifts forward out of position.  This bone misalignment can compress nerves that exit the spinal canal causing a variety of symptoms.

Causes

Subluxation can be caused by normal activity and the wear and tear of aging.  It can also be caused by physical exertion or injury.

Symptoms

Symptoms depend on which vertebra is subluxed and how that affects the related nerve.  Spinal nerves flow out of the spinal canal into your arms and legs.  As a result, a subluxation of a cervical (neck) vertebra may cause pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling in your arms and hands.  A lumbar (low back) vertebral subluxation may cause symptoms in your legs and feet.

Care and Management

A chiropractor can help find subluxations and can realign your vertebrae.  Physical therapy or massage therapy can also ease muscle tension that can contribute to subluxation.