"I Think It's Just a Muscle Problem..."

Oh my gosh. I have more patients that come into my office saying the following words than I can shake a stick at (whatever that means):

"I think it's just a muscle problem".  (What they mean is, because you, CHIROPRACTOR, only deal with bones, I don't think you can help me.)

When you are talking to a chiropractor, those words are like fingernails on a chalkboard (Now, I KNOW what that means).  So in this edition of "Ask the Doctor", we are going to go over a little bit of education.  Of the nervous system.  You won't believe how UNcomplicated this is.  So here goes:

Your Central Nervous System (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord, and is continually monitoring and coordinating every single function in your body.  That's right...EVERY SINGLE ONE!  Now if we think of the brain as the "central computer" that controls and coordinates all bodily functions, we think of the rest of the nervous system as the "communication network" that relays messages back and forth between bodily organs and the central computer (brain).  These messages are sent via the SPINAL CORD.

The spinal cord travels from the base of your brain down to your tail INSIDE of the spinal column (a.k.a. "spine").  Along the way, nerve bundles branch out from the spinal cord, passing out through the spine between each of the moveable vertebrae.  The nerve bundles then branch out again and again and run through your entire body...to each cell, organ and tissue...INCLUDING MUSCLE!

That equals A LOT of nerve cells!  In fact every human is estimated to have around 15 BILLION of them!  This extremely delicate nervous system is protected by the SPINE.  Each vertebrae in the spine is moveable, working with the segment above and below it to allow for motion (bending over, arching your back, twisting at the waist, and so on).  Between the spinal segments are discs, which work as shock absorbers and "spacers" for the nerves to exit the spinal column.  When the spine is not moving properly between two or more segments, then we could have a problem.  This is what is called a "vertebral subluxation complex, or subluxation".

When you have a subluxation...when two or more vertebrae have lost their normal motion or position...it causes interruption to the nerve flow to the tissues.  This interruption interferes with the communication from the brain to the body, and from the body back to the brain.  As far as muscles go, this can cause weakness, pain, stiffness, tightness, decreased reflexes, and so on.  So what happens to the part of the body with a subluxation?  Degeneration.  Degeneration will continue as long as the segments are immobile, and will attribute to a build-up of scare tissue in the area, further irritating nerves.  This degeneration can begin in as little of two weeks and can continue throughout a lifetime...unless motion is put back into that spinal joint.

How do you know if you have a subluxation?  Chances are you do, unless you are currently under chiropractic care.  Many people think that they should only see a chiropractor when they are having pain.  But the truth?  The truth is, that pain is often the last signal the body sends out to let you know there is a problem.  Subluxations can be building for years and years before you even know it.  (Kind of like heart disease or tooth decay). 

That is where the chiropractor comes in.  Searching for and finding subluxations, removing the interference upon nerves through spinal adjustments, and supplementing these adjustments with specific functional exercises, a chiropractor can help you avoid spinal degeneration and have your nervous system working at its highest level! But be careful!  Remember how pain is often the last signal the body sends out to let you know you have a problem?  It is also the FIRST signal to leave.  Always remember...it isn't just PAIN that determines our spinal health!

So there it is, in a nutshell.  If you would like more information or have questions on subluxations, nerve interference, or to know if chiropractic care is a good fit for you, please contact me at karrie@vandersluischiropractic.com or at 278-1218.  Thanks for reading, and keep those questions coming!