A vertebral subluxation is when your spine misaligns and/or does not move the way that it is supposed to, which in turn may cause brain-body miscommunication, also known as nerve interference. Your spine consists of 24 articulating vertebrae, a sacrum, two ilia, and a coccyx, through which 31 spinal nerves exit. Together, these allow you to bend, twist, and move freely while protecting your nervous system; however, when a misalignment or restriction of movement is present, it can affect what is called proprioception (brain-body communication). Also, just as a misaligned car accelerates the wear and tear process, a misaligned spine can also accelerate degenerative changes, often better known as arthritis. It is important to note that all of these effects may be experienced with or without any associated pain.

In short, vertebral subluxations are caused by stress. Stress came in very handy in early hunter-gatherer societies. If our ancestors were threatened by a life-or-death situation such as coming face-to-face with a tiger, their nervous system would integrate that stress and adapt in order to respond accordingly through what is called the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response). A cascade of physiological changes would then take place, including postural and hormonal changes, changes in blood pressure, and redirection of blood flow to major muscle groups in order to maximize the chance of survival. Although nowadays we rarely get chased by a tiger, modern stressors can come in many different forms such as (physical) traumas, (chemical) toxins, and (bad) thoughts (better known as the three Ts). Oddly enough, our body cannot tell the difference between these stressors and a tiger chasing us! The only difference is that, unlike today’s stressors, we could rest assured that the tiger would not chase us indefinitely; either the tiger would catch us or we would escape it. The problem with today’s stressors is that many of us function in perpetual survival mode—often without realizing it—which takes a toll on our health and well-being!

Physical traumas can be grouped into two categories: 1) big traumas (macro traumas) that are often less frequent such as a car accident, sport injury, or fall; and 2) small traumas (micro traumas) that tend to be more frequent such as poor posture and ergonomics, living a sedentary lifestyle, and/or having a job/hobby that requires repetitive movements. Meanwhile, our environment and way of life have changed and we are all exposed to several toxins on a daily basis. From the air we breathe, the foods we eat, the products we use daily, our bodies are exposed to stressful chemical substances. Finally, our thoughts can be—and often are—a major source of stress in our lives. We are more than ever exposed to short work deadlines, overloaded schedules, financial stresses, lack of sleep, self-esteem problems, peer and society pressures, and the quest for excellence.

As our bodies seek homeostasis (internal balance), our nervous system constantly integrates the stressors in our lives in an attempt to adapt to its ever-changing environment. Since stress impacts structure and structure impacts function, chiropractic helps reduce what is known as the allostatic load, moving us closer to optimal health.

A chiropractic adjustment is the treatment of choice for vertebral subluxations. Chiropractors are highly trained in delivering a specific and gentle force to the spine where misalignments or restrictions are found, in order to help regain movement, restore proper alignment, and decrease nerve interference.

Click here for a list of Dr. Josée’s adjusting techniques

Absolutely! Not only is chiropractic care safe during the pregnancy, but it can be highly beneficial for the pregnant woman. In fact, we believe that prenatal chiropractic care is so important, we have dedicated an entire page on our website to its benefits.

Visit our Prenatal Chiropractic Care page

If you have read above about what chiropractic care is all about, you are probably starting to understand that its benefits go way beyond back pain! Although natural, the birth process can be a major stressor on a newborn baby. Add to this the fact that a baby’s nervous system will see the most growth over its first two years, and take into account all the falls that may take place while learning to walk, run, and ride a bike, and you will understand why it is important to get checked by a chiropractor at an early age. Since we believe in the importance of pediatric chiropractic care, we have dedicated an entire page about it on our website.

Visit our Pediatric Chiropractic Care page

The short answer to this question is no. If your health goals are pain related, you will be able to discontinue care once you have completed the initial phase of care for pain relief. However, if your goal is optimal health, regular chiropractic check-ups should be a part of your lifestyle as a preventative measure, just like eating healthy foods, being physically active, and getting adequate rest. In the long run, this usually proves to be most effective in terms of time and money.

You can reduce the frequency of these visits by following your chiropractor’s recommendations and by adopting lifestyle habits that support optimal health in order to reduce unnecessary stressors on your body. Just like being mindful of your sugar intake and brushing your teeth daily helps keep the dentist away, following your chiropractor’s recommended lifestyle habits can help to support your spinal health!