The cervical spine’s subluxation triggers many symptoms, impacting daily life. Primarily, individuals experience neck pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion. Often, this condition leads to headaches, radiating pain, or stinging sensations in the arms and hands. Muscle weakness, dizziness, and blurred vision may accompany these issues. Subtle yet impactful, these symptoms affect concentration and sleep quality. Understanding spinal subluxation signs is crucial; seeking timely medical evaluation helps prevent further complications and guides appropriate treatment.

Understanding the intricacies of these symptoms illuminates the multifaceted nature of cervical spine subluxation and underscores the importance of holistic care strategies. So, let’s dig into what happens when your neck’s alignment goes awry and the signs that follow.

What Is Subluxation?Top of Form

Subluxation, a common term in chiropractic care, means when a joint isn’t working as it should, causing discomfort like numbness, tingling, pain, or a burning feeling. Most people know about spine issues, called a subluxation of the spine, which chiropractors fix to ease these symptoms. But it’s not just the spine; other body joints like feet, shoulders, or wrists can also get misaligned and cause trouble.

Cervical Spine Damage Symptoms

Many signs indicate that you’re suffering from subluxation of the spine and require immediate consultation with a chiropractor.

Cervical spine damage can cause insomnia, nervousness, headaches, head colds, high blood pressure, migraines, nervous breakdowns, amnesia, chronic tiredness, dizziness, sinus trouble, allergies, pain around the eyes, earaches, fainting spells, some instances of blindness, crossed eyes, and deafness.

Apart from the above-mentioned cervical spine subluxation symptoms, we’ll also talk about symptoms from the other vertebrae in this blog.

Symptoms Experienced After Damage to the Cervical Spine (C1-C7)

After sustaining damage to the cervical spine (C1-C7), symptoms vary widely, from severe paralysis to minor, self-healing ailments depending on the accident’s nature. The breakdown of each vertebra—C1 to C7—reveals potential associated symptoms upon damage or compression. This list might unveil long-standing issues potentially linked to old, unnoticed injuries. Let’s explore these subluxation symptoms to unravel connections that might have been overlooked for years.

C1 and C2 Subluxation Symptoms

C1 and C2 vertebrae, known as Atlas and Axis, respectively, constitute the initial segments of the cervical spine, pivotal for head support and rotational movement. Injuries to these vertebrae limit head and neck mobility significantly. The Atlas mainly influences spinal function profoundly, prompting specialized chiropractic attention due to its far-reaching effects. Medically, C1 and C2 injuries are deemed the severest, often leading to complete paralysis or fatality due to their critical role in spinal function.

C1-C2 subluxation symptoms are as follows:

• Headaches
• Nervousness
• Insomnia
• Head colds
• High blood pressure
• Migraines
• Various other sensory issues, etc.

C3 Subluxation Symptoms

The C3 vertebra, while somewhat sturdier than C1 and C2, remains susceptible to significant damage if injured severely. Spinal cord damage at this level often leads to restricted neck movement during flexion and extension, indicating a subluxation in the neck.

Subluxation symptoms of the C3 vertebrae damage vary from noticeable to subtle, including:

• Restricted range of motion
• Impaired diaphragm function
• Dependence on a ventilator for breathing
• Paralysis in arms, hands, torso, and legs
• Challenges controlling bladder and bowel function
• Neuralgia
• Neuritis
• Skin conditions like acne or eczema

C4 Subluxation Symptoms

Injuries to the C4 vertebra can profoundly impact respiratory function due to its influence on the diaphragm. Severe spinal cord trauma in this area often necessitates continuous support for breathing, potentially leading to ventilator dependency. Such injuries commonly result in limited mobility and paralysis affecting both limbs and torso. Additionally, challenges in controlling bladder and bowel functions may arise due to this level of spinal damage.

Symptoms resulting from a C4 spinal injury encompass:

• Disturbed diaphragm function
• Restricted motion
• Paralysis in arms, legs, torso, and hands
• Uncontrolled bladder and bowel functions
• Hay fever
• Runny nose
• Hearing loss
• Adenoid-related complications

The C4-C5 subluxation symptoms, while seemingly unrelated, reflect the wide-ranging effects of spinal damage, notably affecting respiratory health alongside other bodily functions.

C5 Subluxation Symptoms

Symptoms resulting from a C5 spinal cord injury typically don’t lead to paralysis or respiratory impairment but can still be distressing, necessitating substantial time for full recovery. These often encountered cervical subluxation symptoms from damage to the C5 vertebrae include:

• Difficulty or weakened breathing
• Paralysis in torso, legs, wrists, or hands
• Unilateral or bilateral paralysis
• Laryngitis
• Hoarseness
• Sore throat
• Vocal cord complications
• Restrictions in bicep, deltoid, and upper arm muscles

C6 Subluxation Symptoms

After enduring a C6 injury, individuals commonly encounter symptoms akin to carpal tunnel syndrome, experiencing numbness or tingling sensations in their fingers, hands, or arms. Pressure on the C6 nerve can further induce challenges in muscle control within the forearms and wrists.

Symptoms of cervical subluxation arising from a C6 vertebra injury might manifest unilaterally or bilaterally and may include:

• Potential paralysis in legs, torso, and hands
• Impaired nerve control in the wrist
• Loss of bladder and bowel function
• Breathing difficulties
• Stiff neck
• Upper arm pain
• Tonsillitis
• Chronic cough
• Croup

C7 Subluxation Symptoms

The final vertebra in the cervical spine, C7, often leads to more intense symptoms for individuals affected by injuries in this area, such as numbness or tingling sensations in the hands and fingers. Nonetheless, some frequent yet less severe conditions resulting from injuries to this region encompass:

• Burning sensations in the arms and shoulders
• Reduced hand and finger dexterity
• Limited control over bladder and bowel functions
• Breathing difficulties
• Bursitis
• Colds
• Thyroid conditions

What Causes a Cervical Spine Injury?

Now that you know what a subluxation of the cervical spine is, you must be wondering what causes it. A cervical spine injury can stem from various sources commonly observed and treated by accident doctors:

• Slip and fall accidents
• Motor vehicle incidents involving cars, trucks, or motorcycles
• Tumors
• Infections or diseases
• Birth defects or congenital abnormalities
• Trauma
• Sports-related injuries

If you have any of the symptoms above or have delayed neck pain after a car accident, you may be suffering from neck subluxation. In such a case, it is recommended to get in touch with a professional chiropractor. These professionals specialize in realigning subluxations and misalignments, employing manual techniques like spinal adjustments to restore vertebrae to their correct positions within the spinal column.

FAQs

1. What are the risks of having a subluxation?

Subluxations apply pressure on spinal nerves that originate from the spinal cord through the vertebrae. This interference disrupts the signals traveling to and from the brain, impacting communication in both directions. Such disruption commonly results in health issues and a reduced capacity to maintain body balance.

2. How do you fix cervical subluxation?

If you’ve been noticing lower or upper cervical subluxation symptoms such as limited mobility, neck stiffness, headaches, high blood pressure, etc., it’s recommended to consult a professional chiropractor. They specialize in managing patients with minor to severe subluxation and related conditions. Chiropractors employ various techniques, often known as spinal adjustments, to fix subluxations of the spine.

3. Can spinal subluxation heal itself?

The healing prospects for a spinal subluxation rely on its initial severity. In many cases, the body’s impressive self-healing capacity can resolve minor subluxations without external intervention. However, if your symptoms are severe, it’s best to consult a professional.

4. Do I need a lawyer before receiving treatment for spinal subluxation?

In some cases, you may need a lawyer to represent you in filling an injury treatment. However, we welcome patients with or without a lawyer. If patients require any assistance in filling out the paperwork, our staff is available to explain the procedure and provide the required assistance.