How does Chiropractic Work?

While chiropractors can help with the alignment and movement of almost any joint in the body (even those in the skull), the primary focus is on the spine.  This is because the spine houses the spinal cord within it, the major communication pathway between the brain and the rest of the body.  Between every vertebrae, a nerve root exits between holes in spine called foramen.  These nerve roots become nerves branches which become the great majority of all the nerves in your body from the neck down, powering everything from your muscles, to your sense of touch, and even your organs.  Misaligned vertebrae can affect these nerves resulting in anything from pain, loss of range of motion, muscle weakness, numbness/tingling, and sometimes organ dysfunction.  Improper movement of a joint on the other hand is the major cause of arthritis or joint instability.

Misalignments have different names such as “restrictions” or “joint restrictions”, but the common chiropractic terminology is “subluxation.”  To fight subluxations, chiropractors use the adjustment to rectify misalignments and induce proper motion back into the joint.   An adjustment is a specific positioning of the joint accompanied with a quick thrust to get the joint back in place  and to help a joint that was not moving properly.  It is not uncommon to hear a “pop” which is just gas escaping from the joint due to a change in pressure, the same heard when cracking your knuckles.  Once proper movement and alignment is restored, the body is able to heal itself and function properly.

Each level innervates a specific area of the body. Click to enlarge to see where subluxations can affect which parts of your body.