What causes subluxations?

Subluxations are caused by stresses that are experienced through the nervous system, to the nervous system or the surrounding vertebral osseous structures and must be adapted to.  Our nervous system is responsible for relating the external environment to our internal environment. If there are interferences, disruptions or distortions, that doesn't bode well for you adapting to your external environment or for you to function internally at optimal levels.

Our internal environment can be broken up into three main categories;

1) physical things - bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, organs, including brain and nervous system, etc. to name a few and are affected by stressors like trauma, posture, sleeping positions, movement, exercise, or the lack thereof.

2) chemical things - blood, lymph, synovial fluid, organs, brain and nervous system and spinal fluid, digestive chemistry, intestinal flora to name a few and are affected by stressors like poor nutrition, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, toxins and pollution. 

And finally

3) mental/emotional things - like attitude, outlook, hope, faith, expectancy to name a few and are affected by stressors like relational stress, job stress, financial stress, movement, exercise or the lack thereof. 

Again, when you experience any of these stressors or a combination of these physical, chemical or emotional stressors beyond your nervous system or your bodies ability to easily adapt you will create a distortion in the nervous system or physiology.  Chiropractors call this distortion at the spine or it's effect on the nervous system a subluxation.