ANATOMY 101

Our central nervous system is comprised of the brain and spinal cord. These organs are responsible for every single conscious, subconscious and unconscious action in our body. Think of it as our command and control, as it tells us what to do. The brain stores memories, formulates thoughts, sends and receives sensory information, and motor commands to the body with the help of the spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves coming off of the spinal cord, this is our peripheral nervous system. These nerves connect the spinal cord and brain to all the muscles, organs, and glands in the entire body.

Our skull and spinal column protect our sensitive nervous system. The skull protects our brain, of course and our spine protects our spinal cord. Our spine is made of seven cervical vertebrae, the neck, twelve thoracic vertebrae, the mid-back and five lumbar vertebrae in the low back.

Each vertebra in the spinal column is connected to the one above and below it by a set of spinal joints. It is these joins that allow us to twist, turn, bend and extend. The spinal joints are the joints we adjust when you come in for your care. Separating each vertebra in the spine is an intervertebral disk, which acts as a shock absorber.

Getting back to the spinal nerves; they exit the spinal canal between the vertebrae at the level of the spinal joints. In other words the nerves coming off our spine lie just in front of the spinal joints. Lying on top of the spine are our muscles. These muscles are responsible for making us move. If the muscles are working properly, the joints will be working properly and therefore the nerves will not be interfered with.

If the spine is subluxated, then the muscles will not be working properly, our spinal joints will tighten down causing a loss of motion and then the nerves become irritated and interfered, causing decreased nerve signal transmission.