Subluxation is a Common Term in HealthcareThe Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a report in their 2023 first quarter journal showing that the term "subluxation" is not only a key part of the chiropractic terminology, but also well used in other health professions. The title of the report is, "The Chiropractic Subluxation: Medical evidence in support of the subluxation construct."
The report authors begin by stating, "This presentation serves to demonstrate the widespread use and acceptance of the term subluxation." They continue, "The 'vertebral subluxation' is one of two keystones in chiropractic and has been for its entire 127-year history since its foundation. The other term is 'adjustment' which may be identified as a refined and specific form of the more generalized generic term, 'manipulation'."
Although the term "subluxation" may have slightly different interpretations in the medical field when compared to chiropractic, the chiropractic profession uses this term more than all others. The more exact term, vertebral subluxation, is meant to not just mean a bone out of proper alignment in the spine, but also the neurological effects of the spinal misalignment. Given the vast number of mechanisms the subluxation can affect on human physiology, the most exact term using in chiropractic is the "vertebral subluxation complex."
The report authors point out that the other health professions including medicine, have over 500 synonyms, euphemisms, or other terms related to the basic constructs of the chiropractic use of the term subluxation. Many of the medically used terms are based upon research supporting the basic chiropractic premise. The report authors point out, "There is noted evidence of medical use of chiropractic concepts particularly in European medicine, with many medical journals incorporating papers on these concepts, far more than in English language medical journals."
The authors reference many medical texts, including Gray's Anatomy, that clearly speak to the basic understanding of the subluxation. Many of these books even acknowledge chiropractic as the major healthcare system addressing subluxation.
The report emphasizes the importance of unique terminology for any health profession to continue to offer a unique service to the public. "The emergence of any new health profession may be identified by its unique title. Similarly, its uniqueness may be identified by its distinct use of particular terminology otherwise it could hardly be regarded as being different to any other profession. Consequently, chiropractic has developed two particularly distinctive terms; the 'vertebral subluxation' and the 'vertebral adjustment'."
After reviewing all the various professions that use either the term subluxation, or a similar term that has the same meaning, the authors of this report concluded, "The evidence we have presented indicates that medicine, osteopathy, and physiotherapy have all used the term 'subluxation' in the chiropractic sense. However, the more appropriate, and inclusive descriptive term of vertebral subluxation complex is widely adopted in chiropractic and the WHO ICD-10."
Dr. Robert Braile, a chiropractor and past president of the International Chiropractors Association, commented on this report by saying, "The bottom line is that subluxation is a scientific, provable, and clinically important entity in healthcare. Most professions either directly use the term subluxation with a similar meaning as chiropractors, or they use a different term that has almost an identical meaning. Regardless of what term is used, it is important that vertebral subluxation is addressed and corrected."
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