Week 12

Hypotheses pertaining to intervertebral subluxation (Robert Leach, DC- The Chiropractic Theories)

• Intervertebral subluxation:

  • Intervertebral Subluxations are a common occurrence in the general population

• Nerve Compression:

  • Intervertebral subluxations can interfere with normal transmission of nerve energy (i.e.. Action potentials, etc.)

• Cord Compression:

  • Intervertebral subluxation in some severe cases (and even in the absence of fracture/dislocation) may irritate or compress the spinal cord

• Vertebral Fixation:

  • One type of subluxation is recognized by lessen mobility, soft tissue involvement, aberrant neural reflexes and segmental facilitation

• Vertebrobasilar Arterial Insufficiency:

  • Cervical intervertebral subluxations may cause deflection or compression of the vertebral arteries, which thereby gives rise to altered cerebral blood supply

• Axoplasmic Aberration:

  • Axoplasmic flow may be altered when the spinal nerve roots become compressed or irritated by intervertebral subluxations

• Somatoautonomic Reflex:

  • Somatic afferent bombardment of the Dorsal Horn cells, which may result from Spinal fixations, can alter normal autonomic reflexes

• Neurodystrophic Phenomena:

  • The Summation of all the above

  • Neural dysfunction is stressful to the visceral and other body structures, and this “lowered tissue resistance” can modify the nonspecific and specific immune responses and alter the trophic function of the involved nerves

• Original Chart:

  • Intervertebral Subluxation→

    • Somatic Afferent bombardment →

      • Aberrant Somatosomatic reflexes

      • Aberrant Somatoautonomic reflexes →

        • Neurodystrophic phenomena

    • Spinal cord compression

    • Spinal nerve root compression →

      • Neurodystrophic phenomena

    • Vertebrobasilar arterial insufficiency →

      • Axoplasmic aberration →

        • Neurodystrophic phenomena

• Updated Chart:

  • Intervertebral Subluxation →

    • Vertebrobasilar insufficiency

    • Myelopathy

    • Neuropathy →

      • Somatoautonomic →

        • Neurodystrophic →

          • Impulse

          • Non impulse

  • Segmental Dysfunction →

    • Neuropathy →

      • Somatoautonomic →

        • Neurodystrophic →

          • Impulse

          • Non impulse

    • Facilitation →

      • Somatosomatic

Watch James Chestnut, DC “Eat well, move well, Think well”

Questions to answer by the end of the Tri:

• What is the role of normally functioning spinal mechanics in local and global human physiology?

• How is improper function of spinal joints (VSC) caused? Is it common in the human experience? How do we detect it? Is it always painful or can it occur asymptomatically?

• What are the local and global physiological consequences of improperly functioning spinal joints (VSC, etc.)?

Vertebral Subluxation begin with some form of Stress/insult to the spinal articular structures

• Physical stress/insult

• Chemical stress/ insult

• Mental stress/ insult

Aberrant Segmental Spinal Arthrokinematics (Abnormal alignment and/or motion):

• This is vertebral kinesiopathophysiology

  • Genesis of:

• Neuropathophysiology

  • Afferent abnormality

  • Efferent abnormality

    • Effect:

• Myopathophysiology

• Histopathophysiology

• Biochemical Changes