Our nervous system is without question one of our most important systems in our body. Virtually every cell, tissue, organ and system of your body is controlled and regulated by your nervous system. Our nervous system works similar to a large electrical unit sending signals and information primarily from our brain to all our cells and tissues and also in reverse sending signals from our cells and tissues back to the brain. While the nervous system is highly complex, here are four simple principles we know about the nervous system and how they relate to chiropractic.
Efferent Communications:
Nerve impulses are sent from the brain out to the organs and tissues of your body. In this form of communication the brain will send input to instruct organs and cells to properly respond. If you touch your hand on a hot stove. Your brain will respond by instructing muscles to contract to pull that hand away.
Afferent Communications:
Nerve impulses are sent back to the brain to make sure everything is working correctly. A good example of this is illustrated with our hand on a hot stove again. Our cells in our hand sense intense heat and relay that message to our brain.
Compressive Lesions
When a nerve has a compression force applied such as a herniated disc or pressure from a misaligned bone, signals going from or to the affected organ or tissue can be diminished. (i.e., numbness into feet or hands.)
Facilitative Lesions
On the flip side nerves can be irritated by abnormal mechanics as well. In this case signals going from or to the affected organ or tissue can be excited. (i.e., pain traveling into the arms from the nerves of the neck.)
The nervous system is vulnerable where delicate nerve tissue comes into proximity with the moving bones of your spine. That’s why we’re interested in your spine! Chiropractors are specifically trained to find compressive and facilitative lesions on your spine. After locating the problem a well trained chiropractor will then prescribe a coarse of treatment to quickly reduce any lesions that can be addressing the nerves.