Sacrum: The emotional bone.

A subluxated sacrum can do much more than just cause discomfort or sciatic type pain. Reproductive problems, bladder dysfunction, and digestive difficulties may all occur when the sacral bone is not aligned properly (what chiropractors call a subluxation). But the most problematic side effect of a sacral subluxation may be the emotional component. I have seen several patients with chronic sacral subluxations who were being medically treated for depression.

Clinically, I have seen this correlation happen so many times now that it has caused me to incorporate the question "Do you have difficulties with depression?" in my initial examination. Recently a patient reminded me that many old-time chiropractors and osteopaths used to refer to the sacrum as "The Emotional Bone." Without going into too much depth here, let me try and give you a brief glimpse into the neurology of "why" the sacrum may influence our emotional well-being.

The autonomic portion of the nervous system regulates organ and gland function. This is broken down into two parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is in charge of revving things up (fight or flight). The parasympathetic is in control of "resting" activities such as digestion, urination, salivation, and sexual arousal (things that we can take our time with and provide relief). Where do these parasympathetic nerves come from? The upper (cranial) and lower (sacral)  part of the spinal cord.  This is why it is called craniosacral outflow and it might also be why a subluxated sacrum can put an individual in a sour mood. A subluxated sacrum may interfere with proper parasympathetic outflow, causing a dis-ease within the system.

I am not saying the all depressed people have a sacral subluxation or that anyone with a sacral subluxation will become depressed. But I can say that I have seen people's moods completely change when I adjusted their subluxated sacrum. I have seen it enough times that I believe it warrants more attention from the medical community and more research from the chiropractic community.

-In Health,

Dr. Jerry