Given that Chiropractic is the fastest-growing
health care profession, it is important that
you understand what Chiropractic is and what
it can do for you.
Fact: The nervous system is the
primary control mechanism of the body. The nervous
system is comprised of the brain, spinal cord, and
nerves. The nervous system regulates all bodily functions,
both voluntary and involuntary, by communicating
the necessary messages, via the nerves, between the
brain and virtually every cell, tissue and organ
of the body. The health of the
spinal column and its relationship with the nerves
that flow through it is the focus of the Chiropractic
discipline. In order to understand
fully what this entails you need to understand a
little about how the spinal column works.
The spine has two basic functions:
1) to allow freedom of movement and 2) to house and
protect the spinal cord. The spinal cord is
the pathway for almost all nerve impulses transmitted
to and from the brain. The spinal cord is protected
within 24 moveable bones called the vertebrae as
well as the lowest bones, the sacrum and the coccyx,
and together this makes up the spinal column. The
spinal column is divided into four regions of the
vertebrae: The Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, and Sacral
regions.
To help you understand the terminology a simplified
explanation of the bones in the spinal column follows:
The Atlas: is
the first bone in you neck and is freely
movable. The Atlas supports the base of
the skull and every nerve in your body
passes thru the Atlas at the brainstem
and for this reason alone deserves a separate
mention even though it is part of the Cervical
Vertebrae.
The Cervical Vertebrae: consists
of the first seven bones, including the Atlas,
which make up your neck. Individual vertebrae
are referred to as C1-C7.
The Thoracic Vertebrae: make
up the middle back and are the next 12 bones
of the spinal column. This is the longest
portion of your back. Individual vertebrae
are referred to as T1-T12.
The Lumbar Vertebrae: is
commonly referred to as your lower back and
consists of five large vertebrae known as
L1-L5.
The Sacral Region: is commonly
referred to as your tailbone and is made
up of the sacrum and the coccyx. As
a child the sacrum consists of five individual
bones and the coccyx is made up three to
five bones. In the adult, the sacral
bones and the coccyx bones fuse so that each
of these two bones are solid individual bones.
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Each vertebra has two bony projections
called facets, which form a hinge with the facets
of the adjoining vertebrae. A thin disc,
made up of cartilage on the outside with a soft gelatin-like
material on the inside, lies between each vertebra
providing a cushion for your spinal vertebrae. This
combination of vertebrae and disc provides flexibility
in the spine. Ligaments, tendons, and muscles surround
and attach to the spine giving it its strength.
Since the Nervous System affects such a large percentage
of the body, Chiropractors may treat individuals
with:
Headaches
Joint pain
Neck pain
Low back pain
Sciatica
Osteoarthritis
Spinal Disk Conditions
Carpal Tunnel
Tendonitis
Sprains
Strains
TMJ |
Chiropractors are not limited to
the above list, they also aid in Digestive Disorders,
Allergies, Asthma, Sinus trouble, Dizziness and more. Since
the nervous system supplies nerves to so many organs
and tissues, many body systems may be affected. Chiropractors
must be aware of how the many systems are integrated
and affected by an injury/damage to the spinal system.
