Despite the resiliency of the spine, problems often arise.
When, for example, the natural curves of the spine are pushed beyond their limits, we experience a hyperlordosis, a condition characteristic of a slumped posture. People with pot bellies or poor abdominal muscles experience this. In hyperlordosis, the spine is straightened, and the disks between the vertebrae are allowed to bulge backward.
One of the main problems chiropractic addresses is subluxation, or the misalignment of vertebrae. D.D. Palmer wrote that subluxation “perpetuates disease.” Today, we know that misalignment can cause imbalances in the nervous impulses channeled through the spine. The result of subluxation is often an overabundance of nervous signals.
We can see an example of this overproduction when we witness a car crash: with mental stress, we produce more adrenaline than is needed, and we begin to shake, with no outlet for the nervousness. The same imbalance can happen with a subluxation: an overactive nervous system wreaks havoc with the rest of the body.
Similarly, though less common, a suppressed nervous system can cause problems. In the words of D.D. Palmer: “…too much or not enough energy is disease.”
To understand how a subluxation alters the nervous system, we must again briefly cover some anatomy. Vertebrae provide both flexibility and strength, and are perfectly suited for housing the spinal cord. The fin-like bones on each vertebra, or facet joints, help guide movement of the spine. The spinal cord runs through the center of each vertebra, with nerve roots emerging from both sides of the vertebrae, between the facet joints.
Facet joints are covered in a thin layer of highly sensitive cartilage. Since this makes them vulnerable, they are a common source of back pain. They are called the “storm center” of the spine for this reason. In a similar, but much less common case, the nerve itself can become irritated by calcium build-up along the edges of the vertebrae, called bone spurs.
An unbalanced spine—one curved beyond its natural shape—is prone to subluxations. When the vertebrae are unaligned, the nearby nerves may become irritated. Often, people use the term “pinched nerve” to describe this problem. The term is inaccurate, however, even if doctors sometimes use it for simplicity. However, the nerves along the spine are rarely pinched, a serious trauma causing only about 10 to 15 percent of spinal problems.
Most problems happen when malfunctioning vertebrae irritate the nerve, stimulating the nervous system too much. We have seen the damage this can inflict on the spine, and on the rest of the body. D.D. Palmer was one of the earliest to recognize that since the nerves are given ample room to move within the vertebrae, an actual pinching of the nerve is rare. Of course, simple back pain is the most direct consequence of a “pinched nerve.”
In a similar problem, the disks between vertebrae account for much back pain. Here, the term “slipped disk” is applied to back pain, but this is another inaccurate term. The disk can tear, bulge or even rupture. But because the way it is cushioned between the vertebrae, they cannot slip.
To understand problems with the disks, envision the disk as a jelly doughnut. Inside, there is a thick substance called the nucleus. This center is surrounded by an elastic ring of fibers called the annulus fibrosis.
Problems occur when this layer decays from the inside outward, forming weaknesses or even cracks. In the worst cases, the jelly doughnut oozes its contents. The nucleus can escape and displace the nerve root. This can cause pain that extends to the legs and feet.
But more likely than a rupture, a disk may bulge and excite nearby nerves. Bulging of disks comes from long-term trauma associated with slouching, bad sleeping habits or repetitive tasks that tax the spine’s flexibility. Sometimes, a single accident can harm a disk, but if a disk is unhealthy to begin with, it will be more likely to suffer injury.
Another spinal problem is called scoliosis. Looking at a spine from the rear, it should appear straight. Scoliosis is an unnatural sideways curve of the spine. It is thought that scoliosis occurs according to a person’s heredity. It may also be the result of an injury.
For the most part, scoliosis appears in children and young adults as an unevenness in the shoulders or lower back pain. If scoliosis goes undetected, it can worsen in a person’s twenties, after the spine as reached its full growth. Traditional medicine treats this with braces or surgery. If detected early, however, a chiropractor is able to affect specific spinal adjustments to achieve excellent results.
About the Author:
Dr. Tuchinsky, D.C. specializes in adult and pediatric precision spinal care.
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