​The Nervous System

​Your spinal cord is the central highway of your nervous system.  It carries signals from your brain to your entire body.  Your spinal cord allows you to touch and feel, move your fingers and toes, and it keeps you lungs breathing and your heart beating.  The bones in your back, called vertebrae, surround your spinal cord and protect it from injury.  In between each vertebrae there are cushions, called discs, which absorb shock and give your spine flexibility.  Between each vertebrae the spinal cord projects nerves which act similar to telephone wires, transmitting electrical signals to every organ, muscle and tissue in your body.  Together these structures make up your spine, and along with your brain make up your nervous system.  

​In order for everything to work properly, the spinal nerves need to travel to their specific destinations without being pinched or irritated.  When everything is aligned properly your spine is strong and flexible, with neurological signals being transmitted loud and clear.  The stress of daily living, injuries, or accidents can cause tension on the joints between vertebrae, and results in improper firing of the surrounding muscles and nerves.  This can affect your spine's range of motion leading to joint stiffness and pain, muscle spasms, and nerve irritation.  Chiropractors are doctors that are spinal specialist.  They are trained to find areas of decreased spinal range of motion or nerve irritation, locate the source and cause of your pain, and provide the proper treatment to correct improper alignment and restore soft tissue and spinal health.  To learn more about chiropractic and how it can help you, click here.