What are the long term affects of subluxation?

What are the long term affects of vertebral subluxation?

If vertebral subluxation is deemed as a segement or segments of the spine not functioning at normal biomechanical levels and potentially impacting the integrity of the nervous system and often producing pain, joint changes, etc. then "chronic vertebral subluxation" can lead to pain, permanent joint changes in the way of osteoarthritis or worse.  The vertebral subluxation elicits the "STRESS RESPONSE" if it is not corrected.  The stress response is a cascade of negative physiological events that affect the body globally, not just at the site of the dysfunctioning joint and remain turned "on" until the stressor is removed. In this case, the vertebral subluxation.

The Vertebral Subluxation and The Stress Response: 

The vertebral subluxation is a point of irritation and stress in a joint and turns on  your "stress response". We can see a change in several key  physiological factors:

• Increased Cortisol
• Increased Catecholamines
  
• Increased Heart Rate (HR)
  
• Increased vasoconstriction
• Increased blood pressure (BP)
  
• Increased blood glucose levels
• Increased blood lipid levels
• Increased blood cholesterol levels (increased LDL's and decreased HDL's)
• Increased clotting factor
• Increased protein degradation of muscle and connective tissue
• Insulin resistance
• Decreased Sex Binding Hormone
• Increased feeling of stress, fear, anxiety and depression
• Decreased short term memory, ability to concentrate and learn new material
• Decreased Seratonin levels; Increased Noradrenaline levels
• Increased sensitivity of sensory systems including those of pain
• Decreased cellular immunity
• Decreased anabolic hormones like Growth Hormone and Testosterone, Luteinizing Hormone, sex hormone, etc.
• Bone loss, muscular fiber changes
• Increased gluconeogenesis, Insulin Resistance and aging.

The Stress Response is meant for the acute stressful event to get us safely into a more hospitable environment and not meant to be a chronic state. Most of these changes are initiated to help us survive the acute stressor within fractions of a second and will last over the span of a stressful situation, in most cases seconds to minutes to hours at the very most. What was designed to be helpful in an acute fight or flight situation is now being stimulated chronically for days, weeks, months or even years! And, if the spinal dysfunction is not addressed it too will affect the body in harmful ways.

 Our diseases are diseases of lifestyle, or in other words, improperly managed stressors.