So, why am I so concerned with the health of your spine? Well, I am a chiropractor!
The spine or vertebral canal is composed of 33 vertebral bones that houses and protects the spinal cord. The spinal cord and its 31 pairs of spinal nerves give us the ability to sense the world around us (from body to brain) and allow us to interact with the world (brain to body). The spinal cord along with the brain and nerves make up the nervous system and serve as the main controlling, regulating and communication system in the body.
The nervous system is responsible for the function of every muscle, joint, and organ in the body. Our spine and nervous system are essential to all the vital functions of our body, automatically and unconsciously coordinating functions such as breathing, movement/posture, muscle tension/tone, heart rate/blood pressure, immune system, stress/relaxation, sleep/healing and digestion/elimination. A slight shift in the structure or motion of the spine can create tension in the spinal cord and alter the way your nervous system functions and have effects on the way your body is operating.
Often when people come to my office, it is because symptoms or secondary conditions are interfering with their quality of life. Secondary conditions may present as back or neck pain, headaches, fatigue, anxiety, or chronic conditions. As the name implies, “secondary conditions” are the result of an underlying primary condition. Unless the primary condition is addressed, secondary conditions will not resolve, or they will just shift from one secondary condition to another. NeuroStructural Optimization addresses the source of your secondary conditions and symptoms by correcting the underlying NeuroStructural Dysfunction to allow your body to function optimally.
To further understand the nature of a NeuroStructural Dysfunction, consider a house. If it has a poor foundation, you may find cracks in the walls, windows that may not close correctly, and floors that may squeak. One can choose to continuously address these individual issues (symptoms) by filling in the cracks, lubricating the windows and hammering another nail into the floor, but in all likelihood, they will continue to recur until the underlying cause is corrected.
Your spine is the foundation of your body, and all of the organs, muscles, and connective tissue are built around it. NeuroStructural Optimization frees your nervous system to allow the body and brain to communicate optimally and effectively. Slight shifts in spinal alignment can impact you structurally and how you hold yourself. Ninety percent of the brain’s stimulation comes from the spine. Proper structure of the spine (bones, muscles, ligaments) allows for optimal communication via the spinal cord to the brain. When the body is better able to interpret and adapt to their current circumstances, a greater sense of awareness is attained. The correct information is being relayed between the brain and the body so it can respond appropriately.
Network Spinal Analysis (NSA) addresses NeuroStructural Dysfunction and allows for the maximum correction of the spine and nervous system without any forceful manipulation, twisting, or cracking of the spine. Symptoms and challenges are often warning signs that there may be an underlying, primary issue. Continuing to focus on the symptoms instead of getting to the foundation of the problem may only serve as a temporary band-aid fix.
“The shape, position, tension, and tone of your spine determines the shape, position, tension, and tone of your life.” -Donny Epstein
Copyright 2019 Dr. Julie Doobay
