What is a Subluxation?

A subluxation is a misalignment or loss of proper motion in the spine that interferes with how the brain and body communicate through the nervous system. This interference can affect how your body functions, adapts to stress, and heals. Subluxations are caused by physical, emotional, and chemical stress, and often exist before symptoms appear. Chiropractic care helps correct subluxations so your body can function at its best.

What causes Subluxations?

STRESS! More specifically physical, emotional and chemical stress. Sometimes this is referred to as The Three T’s: Thoughts, Trauma and Toxins. When most people think of physical stress, what comes to mind are car accidents, falls and heavy lifting but what many people don’t realize is that any type of prolonged or repetitive activity can be just as stressful including sitting, standing or looking down at your phone. Emotional stress consists of anger, worry, grief, depression among others. Chemical stress encompasses air pollution/poor air quality, car exhaust, paint fumes, junk food, medications and cleaning chemicals among other toxins. Over time, these stresses accumulate, leading to subluxations that interfere with how the brain and body communicate.

How do I know if I have a Subluxation?

The truth is, you can have a subluxation and not even know it. Subluxations don’t always cause pain right away, but they can still interfere with how your nervous system functions and how your body communicates and adapts. Some people notice signs like muscle tightness, stiffness, reduced range of motion, poor posture, or recurring tension in the same areas—but these are just surface clues.

Because symptoms aren’t a reliable way to measure function, the only way to know for sure if you have a subluxation is through a chiropractic evaluation. Chiropractors are trained to detect subtle changes in spinal alignment, motion, and nervous system response that most people would never notice on their own.

Can subluxations go away on their own?

In most cases, subluxations do not fully correct themselves. When the spine moves out of alignment, the joint can become stuck or fixated and lose its normal motion. Once that happens, it requires a specific chiropractic adjustment—a precise contact on the bone and a specific line of drive—to help the joint move the way it’s designed to again.

Over time, the body starts to adapt to this improper alignment, and the surrounding muscles, ligaments, and even the nervous system begin to hold that pattern as the new “normal.” While symptoms may come and go, the underlying dysfunction usually remains. That’s why symptoms alone aren’t a reliable way to tell if the body is functioning properly—by the time pain shows up, the problem has often been there for a while. Chiropractic adjustments restore proper movement and communication within the nervous system so your body can function and heal the way it’s meant to.

Can subluxations return after being corrected?

Yes, subluxations can return if the stresses that caused them are still present. Physical stress (like poor posture, injuries, or repetitive motions), emotional stress, and chemical stress (such as poor diet or toxins) can all cause the spine to shift out of alignment again. When this happens, the joints can become stuck or lose their proper motion, creating interference in the nervous system.

Even after correction, the body may try to return to old patterns it has adapted to over time. That’s why consistency in chiropractic care—especially early on—is important. Regular adjustments help retrain the spine, restore healthy motion, and keep the nervous system functioning at its best so your body can better handle everyday stress.

Who should get checked for Subluxations?

Everyone with a spine and nervous system can benefit from being checked for subluxations. Since subluxations can exist without pain or obvious symptoms, anyone under physical, emotional, or chemical stress—which includes almost everyone—can develop them. These stresses affect how the spine moves and how well the brain communicates with the body.

Babies, children, adults, athletes, and older adults can all experience subluxations from different causes such as posture, injuries, daily habits, or even birth stress. Regular chiropractic checkups help detect and correct subluxations early, supporting better function, adaptability, and overall health.

What is a Chiropractic adjustment?

A chiropractic adjustment is a precise, controlled movement applied to a joint—most often in the spine—to restore proper motion and alignment. When a joint is misaligned or “stuck,” it can interfere with how the nervous system communicates with the rest of the body. An adjustment helps remove that interference, improving joint function, reducing tension, and allowing the body to work more efficiently. Adjustments are gentle, safe, and customized to each patient’s needs.

What should I wear to my first appointment?

Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move easily. You may be asked to sit, stand, bend, or lie down during your evaluation and adjustment. Clothes that aren’t too tight or restrictive make it easier for the chiropractor to assess your posture, range of motion, and spinal alignment. You will NOT be asked to put on a gown/johnny at Wellness Within Chiropractic. 

How long does my first appointment take?

At Wellness Within Chiropractic, the first appointment should take approximately 30 minutes if you have filled out the paperwork PRIOR to coming to the office. It takes about 15-20 minutes for the average patient to read and fill out the paperwork. These are just estimates as all will depend on the complexity of your medical history and any questions you may have that require explanation.

How long is the average office visit?

At Wellness Within Chiropractic, the average adjustment visit typically takes about 10 minutes or less. This allows enough time for me to assess your spine and perform the necessary adjustments to help your body function at its best. Occasionally, visits may take a little longer if we discuss your daily activities, review progress, or go over stretches and exercises—but that won’t be necessary at every appointment. Checking out and scheduling your next visit usually adds another 5 minutes.

Will I be adjusted on my first visit?

In most cases, yes. During your first visit, Dr. Carrillo will perform a thorough evaluation to assess your spine, posture, range of motion, and nervous system function. Once the assessment is complete, she can provide a gentle and precise adjustment if appropriate. Some patients may need additional analysis before receiving their first adjustment, depending on their individual needs and health history.

Do you take x-rays?

We do not take X-rays in the office, as the technique analysis Dr. Carrillo uses does not require them to identify or correct subluxations. Instead, her approach relies on advanced neurofeedback testing that can isolate each individual vertebral level to determine whether a bone is out of alignment. This same analysis is then used after the adjustment to confirm whether that segment has been properly corrected.

If Dr. Carrillo feels X-rays are necessary—such as in cases of injury, trauma, or specific concerns—you will be referred out for imaging. While X-rays aren’t required for detecting subluxations, they can still be a valuable tool in assessing overall spinal health and structure.

Do you take insurance?

We do not accept insurance at Wellness Within Chiropractic, but our care is affordable so you can access high-quality chiropractic services without needing insurance.

What forms of payment do you accept?

Cash or charge/debit. Payment is due at the time services are rendered.

Do I need a referral from my primary care physician?

No referral is needed to see a chiropractor at Wellness Within Chiropractic. Chiropractic is a portal-of-entry profession, which means you can schedule care directly—just like you would with a dentist.

While some insurance companies may require a referral, we do not accept insurance, so no referral is necessary. You can simply contact us to begin care and start supporting your nervous system and overall health.

What Chiropractic techniques do you use?

I usually use some combination of Thompson Drop, Activator, Diversified and SOT. It can vary depending on the person.

Will I hear a popping sound when I get adjusted?

You may hear a popping sound during a chiropractic adjustment, which happens when a joint capsule separates and releases gas. This sound is NOT a measure of effectiveness and does not indicate that the bone has moved or a correction has been made. Many techniques are gentle and do not produce any noise but are just as effective at supporting spinal alignment and nervous system function.

What can I expect after my first adjustment?

Some people may experience a little extra soreness (like after going to the gym) as the muscles and tendons can be stretched when getting adjusted. Some people will feel no change (but that doesn’t mean stuff is not happening on the inside). Some people feel a little lighter, a little better, a little straighter. No matter which of those you feel after your first adjustment, your nerve flow is less compromised and your body is now healing better.

Do you provide pediatric or prenatal chiropractic care?

Yes. At Wellness Within Chiropractic, we provide gentle, safe, and effective care for both children and expectant mothers. Pediatric care focuses on supporting proper spinal and nervous system development, helping children adapt to growth and everyday stress. Prenatal care is designed to support the mother’s spine and nervous system throughout pregnancy, promoting comfort, balance, and overall wellness for both mother and baby.

Is chiropractic care safe for children?

Yes! Chiropractic care is safe for children when performed by a trained professional. Gentle, age-appropriate adjustments help support proper spinal alignment and promote optimal nervous system function. By keeping the nervous system functioning efficiently, chiropractic care supports healthy growth, development, and overall body function in children.

How many visits will I need?

At Wellness Within Chiropractic, the ultimate goal of care is long-term spinal and nervous system health through regular maintenance care. However, most people begin with more frequent adjustments to help the body and nervous system “unlearn” unhealthy patterns that have developed over time.

When the spine has been misaligned for a while, the brain and nervous system adapt to that altered state through a process called neuroplasticity. In addition, the body can develop something called central sensitization, where the nervous system becomes hypersensitive and overreacts to normal sensations or stress. In the early stages of care, more frequent adjustments help calm this overactive response, restore normal communication between the brain and body, and allow the spine and muscles to reestablish healthy movement patterns.

As your body stabilizes and begins functioning more efficiently, the frequency of your visits will naturally decrease. The focus then shifts to maintenance care, which helps keep your spine aligned, your nervous system balanced, and your body resilient to everyday stressors.

Think of it like brushing your teeth—you don’t wait for a cavity before you brush them. The same principle applies to your spine: ongoing chiropractic care helps prevent degeneration, maintain proper function, and support your overall well-being for life.

Your specific schedule will depend on several factors, including how long subluxations have been present, your overall health, daily habits, posture, muscle balance, inflammation levels, and current stress load. Every care plan is individualized and adjusted as your body progresses toward optimal health.

Why should I get my spine checked regularly if I don’t have any symptoms?

Your body can often compensate for things that are going wrong, which is why pain or other symptoms aren’t always reliable indicators of spinal or nervous system problems. Stress—such as repetitive or prolonged activity at work—is a constant factor for most people and can contribute to subluxations. When subluxations are present, degenerative changes can occur in the joints and discs over time. Regular chiropractic care helps detect and correct subluxations early, preventing or slowing down these degenerative changes and keeping your nervous system and body functioning at their best—even before symptoms appear. It’s like asking if it’s worth brushing your teeth before you get a cavity.

Are Chiropractors real doctors?

Yes. Chiropractors are licensed healthcare professionals known as Doctors of Chiropractic (DC). They complete extensive education, including undergraduate studies and an additional 4 years of chiropractic college to earn their doctorate degree, which includes courses in anatomy, physiology, neurology, and human dissection—similar to the training MDs receive. Chiropractors are also nationally board certified, having passed all four rigorous parts of the Chiropractic National Board Exam, and are licensed by their state board. While MDs have tools like drugs and surgery, chiropractors use spinal analysis and precise adjusting techniques to help the body function optimally.

Can chiropractic help with stress relief?

Yes. Chiropractic care helps the body adapt better to stress by improving how the nervous system functions. When the spine is misaligned, it can interfere with communication between the brain and body, keeping you in a constant state of tension or “fight or flight.” By correcting these misalignments, chiropractic adjustments help the nervous system shift into a more balanced, relaxed state. Many patients report feeling calmer, sleeping better, and handling daily stress more effectively after regular chiropractic care.

How does chiropractic care improve posture?

When the spine moves out of alignment, it creates a cascade of events that affects both the body and nervous system. A subluxation (misaligned spinal segment) disrupts normal joint motion and can trigger the body’s stress response, also known as “fight or flight.” When this happens, the intrinsic stabilizing muscles of the spine—the deep muscles responsible for posture and joint support—are inhibited or “turned off.” Over time, this leads to muscle imbalance, poor postural support, and compensations in other areas of the body.

These compensations can place additional stress on joints, muscles, and ligaments, reinforcing abnormal movement patterns. Through a process called neuroplasticity, the brain can actually adapt to these faulty patterns, making them feel “normal” even though they are not healthy or efficient. Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper joint motion and spinal alignment, reactivating the intrinsic spinal muscles and retraining the nervous system to support healthy posture. By improving communication between the brain and body, chiropractic care helps the spine move more efficiently, reduces compensations, and supports long-term postural correction.

Can Chiropractic care boost immune function?

Chiropractic care helps support immune health by improving how the brain and body communicate through the nervous system. The immune and nervous systems are deeply connected—what affects one affects the other. When the spine shifts out of alignment and becomes subluxated, it can interfere with normal nerve signaling and activate the body’s stress response, also known as “fight or flight.”

If this stress response stays active for too long, it can start to wear down the immune system. In a chronic fight-or-flight state, the body focuses its energy on immediate survival—keeping the heart rate and blood pressure high, tightening muscles, and increasing stress hormones like cortisol. Over time, this takes resources away from functions like digestion, tissue repair, and immune defense.

High cortisol levels can suppress the activity of white blood cells, making the body more vulnerable to illness and slowing healing. At the same time, prolonged stress can cause chronic, low-grade inflammation throughout the body. While inflammation is a normal part of the healing process, when it becomes constant, it can damage healthy tissues and contribute to fatigue, pain, and even autoimmune problems.

Because the immune system is overworked and under-supported, its ability to respond properly to infections becomes less efficient. You may notice you get sick more often, take longer to recover, or experience flare-ups of old health issues. Over time, this ongoing imbalance can lower your overall resilience—the body’s ability to adapt to stress, bounce back from challenges, and maintain optimal health.

When the nervous system is balanced, the body can better coordinate immune responses, recover faster, and handle stress more effectively. Chiropractic care helps create the right conditions inside the body for the immune system to function at its best.

What conditions can Chiropractic care address?

Many people visit a chiropractor for headaches, neck pain, or lower back pain, but these symptoms are often signs of a deeper issue—nervous system dysfunction caused by spinal misalignments, or subluxations. When the spine is not moving or aligned properly, it can interfere with how the brain and body communicate. This disruption can affect far more than just the area where discomfort is felt.

Because the nervous system controls and coordinates every organ, tissue, and system in the body, spinal subluxations can contribute to a wide variety of health concerns—not just pain. These may include fatigue, tension, poor posture, sleep disturbances, reduced mobility, and even issues related to digestion, immune function, or focus.

Chiropractic care helps restore proper spinal alignment and nervous system balance so the body can regulate and heal itself more efficiently. Rather than simply chasing symptoms, chiropractic addresses the root cause of dysfunction, helping patients move toward long-term health and vitality—not just temporary relief.

Is Chiropractic addicting?

After watching the Orientation video, you now know that STRESS is the cause of subluxations. That includes physical, emotional and chemical stress. Our bodies weren’t meant to do repetitive prolonged sedentary activity. Ever heard the catch phrase “Sitting is the new smoking?” Cavemen weren’t constantly looking down at their phone or sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. If you are continuously under physical, emotional and chemical stress, you are going to need to be regularly checked for subluxations in the same way that if continue to eat food several times a day, you need to brush your teeth for your teeth and gums to stay healthy. Are you addicted to brushing your teeth?

Some people say they don’t believe in Chiropractic…

Chiropractic is a science. It doesn’t require your belief in the same way that gravity doesn’t require your belief. It works whether you believe it or not.

What are the office hours?

The current office hours at Wellness Within Chiropractic are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. If you need an appointment outside of these hours, please let us know when you call — we may be able to accommodate your schedule