Spinal Dysfunction

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When the spinal column becomes misaligned, or more commonly when the joints that make up a vertebral segment become compromised the nerves that go to a muscle or an organ become dysfunctional. Spinal trauma begins with our trip through the birth canal and continues with the falls and tumbles in infancy. As we get older we are not much kinder to our spine. Kids begin playing contact sports at an early age and carry heavy backpacks improperly.

They also begin a pattern of endless sitting which many of us continue through retirement.

Numerous other insults can cause the spinal misalignment chiropractors commonly call subluxations. These include stress, muscle strains, and exposure to toxins. Car wrecks are a common cause of spinal dysfunction because they injure the ligaments and muscles which hold our bones together. These are all things we are exposed to daily that left unchecked can accelerate the degeneration process. Degeneration of the spine is a process commonly called osteoarthritis and generally begins in your mid-thirties when our body processes begin shifting from anabolic to catabolic. All the insults listed above can speed up degeneration.

The above picture chronicles the three stages of spinal degeneration. The one on the right depicts lumbar degeneration. Some people will begin to experience aches and pains early in the degeneration process. Late stage degeneration will often be accompanied by a loss of nerve function.