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Spinal & Nervous System
Spinal System
The spinal column extends from the skull to the pelvis and is comprised of
24 vertebrae. These 24 bones when viewed from the side form a gentle "S"
shape with two natural curves the kyphotic and lordotic that provide resistance
and elasticity in distributing body weight and loads sustained during movement.
There are 3 major sections of the spine:
- The Cervical, 7 vertebrae, C1 -C7
- The Thoracic, 12 vertebrae, T1 - T12
- The Lumbar, 5 vertebrae, L1 - L5
Below the lumbar spine is the sacrum(pelvis), which is part
of the pelvis and is made up of 5 fused vertebrae S1 - S5.
The cervical spine(the neck) is divided into two parts; the
upper region C1 - C2, and the lower region C3 - C7. C1 is refered to as the
atlas and is reponsible for supporting the skull. C2 is known as the axis, it
is a blunt tooth like vertebrae that allows the head and atlas to rotate.
The thoracic spine's(the upper back/chest) vertebrae
increase in size from T1 - T12. The thoracic spine's range of motion is limited
due to the fact that it is conected to the rib cage on vertebraes T1 - T10
The lumbar spine's(lower back) vertebrae graduate
in size from L1 - L5, and are responsible for bearing most of the bodies weight
and physical stress.
All of these bones working together provide support and mobility
for the torso while also protecting the nervous system. Your spinal cord which
is composed of billions of nerves, lies in and is protected by your spinal column.
Your spinal cord's nerves exit through pathways between your vertebrae and connect
to your internal organs, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons and other body
parts. This connection is essential to your well being.
Nervous System
Your nervous system looks much like an upended tree, suspended from its roots
at the base of your brain, its millions of limbs reaching out to every corner
of your body.
Your spinal cord is like a thick braid formed by billions of these nerves.
Your body has approximately 15 billion nerve cells-all of which receive and
transmit nerve impulses by way of the spinal cord. These impulses control virtually
all functions of your body-from your senses to mobility.
Nerve roots and your spinal cord
Your spinal cord actually ends near the base of your upper back, shooting out
braids of nerves called "nerve roots". These nerve roots run through
a large tunnel-like canal, and at each level of your spinal column, a pair of
nerve roots exits from the spine.
Nerve roots are named for the level of your spine they exit from, beginning
with a letter and followed by a number. For example, a nerve root in the cervical
spine may be called "C6", while a nerve root in the lumbar region
may be called "L4".
Innate intelligence, the knowledge we are born with, guides cells and organs
to receive and transmit impulses to our brain through this vast network of nerves.
A healthy spinal cord allows these impulses to flow freely back and forth.
But when your spinal cord becomes misaligned, its parts get out of place and
nerves can become pinched. When this happens, the flow of information from your
nervous system gets interrupted. This imbalance, called subluxation, can lead
to physical and emotional problems ranging from minor discomfort to major illnesses.
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