Structure & Function Relationship
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Structure of the Spine:
Our spine has a specific design to allow our body to have a variety of motions due to the numerous movable bones that make it up: 7 cervical (neck), 12 thoracic (mid-back), 5 lumbar (low-back), and the pelvis (5 sacrum and both ilium) - 31 movable segments and each pelvic girdle. Each region has specific biomechanics (motions) due to the structure-of certain joints: cervical = rotation (looking side to side), thoracic = lateral flexion (bending side-to-side), lumbar = flexion-extension (squatting, walking, running, jumping), and the pelvis = wide variety of motions. Within the spine 2 main joints exists: towards the front between the vertebral bodies lie the discs and towards the back are the facet joints. The discs are shock absorption and allow to all motions to occur because of the nucleus pulposus ball-bearing like structure but the facet joints limit motion due to the relationship of the joint with the next vertebrae. Function of the Spine:
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Beyond the Pain - The Big Picture: The Nervous System
"The most important eventual role of the nervous system is to control the various bodily activities. This is achieved by controlling:
(1) contraction of appropriate skeletal muscles throughout the body,
(2) contraction of smooth muscle in the internal organs, and
(3) secretion of active chemical substances by both exocrine and endocrine glands in many parts of the body"
-The Textbook of Medical Physiology by Guyton and Hall
The only way the brain and body will know when and how to adapt to the stress put on it is through the communication traveling through the nervous system. If the communication is free, the body works as the brain is telling it properly.
When the communication is obstructed through SUBLUXATION, dysfunction occurs: muscle imbalance/weakness, organ malfunction, numbness/tingling, fatigue, illness, etc...but first and most commonly seen as pain.
(1) contraction of appropriate skeletal muscles throughout the body,
(2) contraction of smooth muscle in the internal organs, and
(3) secretion of active chemical substances by both exocrine and endocrine glands in many parts of the body"
-The Textbook of Medical Physiology by Guyton and Hall
The only way the brain and body will know when and how to adapt to the stress put on it is through the communication traveling through the nervous system. If the communication is free, the body works as the brain is telling it properly.
When the communication is obstructed through SUBLUXATION, dysfunction occurs: muscle imbalance/weakness, organ malfunction, numbness/tingling, fatigue, illness, etc...but first and most commonly seen as pain.
Chiropractic has only one treatment for one condition: an applied force (the adjustment) to gently and safely correct biomechanical dysfunction, primarily in the spine progressively called a subluxation. No drugs or surgeries, nothing added or removed from your body. The effects are improved biomechanics leading to improved musculoskeletal function and expression of the nervous system and thus health which IS the normal state of life.
Whatever your health concern, Dr. Hodges will first make sure you are right for chiropractic - then look towards which biomechanical faults are the primary CAUSE of your discomfort, dysfunction, and disease. Chiropractic acknowledges that outside an emergency and very rare situations, life itself is self-healing and self-regulating.
It's best to be checked earlier than later for subluxation to ensure a limited about of pain, compensation, degeneration, and effect on the nervous system.
Whatever your health concern, Dr. Hodges will first make sure you are right for chiropractic - then look towards which biomechanical faults are the primary CAUSE of your discomfort, dysfunction, and disease. Chiropractic acknowledges that outside an emergency and very rare situations, life itself is self-healing and self-regulating.
It's best to be checked earlier than later for subluxation to ensure a limited about of pain, compensation, degeneration, and effect on the nervous system.
"Chiropractic philosophy is based upon the following concepts:
- The body is a self-regulating organism, which possesses inherent recuperative abilities.
- The nervous system directs all bodily functions, and therefore is requisite in the restoration and maintenance of health.
- Improper motion or position of vertebrae interferes with proper nerve function. This phenomenon is known as vertebral subluxation.
- Removal/reduction of vertebral subluxations via chiropractic adjustments relieves/minimizes nerve irritations, and thus enhances the ability of the nervous system to promote health and healing." (Complementing Chiropractic Philosophy with Science)
