Spinal Subluxation Chart
Chiropractic is based on the premise that three different types of stresses - physical, emotional and chemical - can cause nerve interference in your spinal column. This nerve interference, also known as vertebral subluxation, is a loss of proper alignment or motion of one or more of the vertebrae in the spinal column. This causes changes in nerve function and interferes with the transmission of mental impulses.
Subluxations can be responsible for back pain, allergies, asthma, stomach problems, heart trouble, etc. Chiropractic is not for the treatment of any specific symptom, condition or disease. The reason you get chiropractic adjustments is to remove interference from the nerve system and allow your body to function at its maximum health potential.
Click on the chart below to learn more about how subluxations at various levels in the spine can affect overall health. The rows labeled "C" are the cervical nerves from the neck starting at the top of the neck (C1) to the bottom of the neck (C7). The rows labeled "T" are the thoracic nerves from the middle section of the spine where the rib cage attaches going from the top (T1 which is right below the base of the neck) to T12 which is right at the top of the kidneys. The rows labeled "L" are for the lumbar nerves of the lower part of the back from L1 at the top down to L5 which sits on the sacrum at the base of the spine.
| Spine | Affected areas | Conditions |
| C1 | Blood supply to the head, pituitary gland, scalp, bones of the face, brain, inner and middle ear, sympathetic nervous system. | Headaches, nervousness, insomnia, head colds, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, mental conditions, nervous breakdowns, amnesia, chronic tiredness, dizziness, vertigo |
| C2 | Eyes, optic nerve, auditory nerve, sinuses, mastoid bones, tongue, forehead. | Sinus trouble, allergies, crossed eyes, deafness, eye trouble, earache, fainting spells, certain cases of blindness |
| C3 | Cheeks, outer ear, face bones, teeth, trifacial nerve | Neuralgia, neuritis, acne, pimples, eczema |
| C4 | Nose, lips, mouth, Eustachian tube | Hay fever, hard of hearing, adenoiditis |
| C5 | Vocal cords, neck glands, pharynx | Laryngitis, hoarseness, throat conditions |
| C6 | Neck muscles, shoulders, tonils | Stiff neck, pain in upper arm, tonsillitis, whooping cough, croop |
| C7 | Thyroid gland, bursa of the shoulders, the elbows | Bursitis, colds, thyroid conditions, goiter |
| T1 | Arms from the elbows down, including the hands, wrists and fingers, esophagus, trachea | Asthma, cough, difficult breathing, shortness of breath, pain in lower arms and hands |
| T2 | Heart including valves, heart covering and coronary arteries | Functional heart conditions and certain chest pains |
| T3 | Lungs, bronchial tubes, pleura, chest, breast, nipples | Bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, congestion, influenza |
| T4 | Gall bladder and common bile duct | Gall bladder conditions, jaundice, shingles |
| T5 | Liver, solar plexus, blood | Liver conditions, fever, lower blood pressure, anemia, poor circulation, arthritis |
| T6 | Stomach | Stomach trouble, nervous stomach, indigestion, heartburn, dyspepsia |
| T7 | Pancreas, islands of Langerhans (insulin production), duodenum (nutrient absorption) | Diabetes, ulcers, gastritis |
| T8 | Spleen, diaphragm | Hiccoughs, lowered resistance |
| T9 | Adrenals | Allergies, hives |
| T10 | Kidneys | Kidney troubles, hardening of the arteries, chronic tiredness, nephritis |
| T11 | Kidneys, ureters | Skin conditions like acne, pimples, eczema or boils |
| T12 | Small intestines, fallopian tubes, lymph circulation | Rheumatism, gas pains, certain types of sterility |
| L1 | Large intestine (colon), inguinal rings | Constipation, colitis, dysentery, diarrhea, hernia |
| L2 | Appendix, abdomen, upper leg, cecum | Appendicitis, cramps, difficult breathing, acidosis, varicose veins |
| L3 | Sex organs, ovaries, testicles, uterus, bladder, knee | Bladder troubles, menstrual troubles like painful or irregular periods, miscarriages, bed wetting, impotency, change of life symptoms, some knee pain |
| L4 | Prostate gland, muscles of the lower back, sciatic nerve | Sciatica, lumbago, difficult, painful or too frequent urination, backache |
| L5 | Lower legs, ankles, feet, toes, arches | Poor circulation in the legs, swollen ankles, weak ankles and arches, cold feet, weakness in the legs, leg cramps |
| Sacrum | Hip bones, buttocks | Sacro-iliac conditions, spinal curvature |
| Coccyx | Rectum, anus | Hemorrhoids, itchy rectum, pain at end of spine on sitting. |
