About Chiropractic
Your amazing nervous system and spine
Your nervous system consists of your brain, spinal cord and all the nerves of the body. There are billions of cells in the nervous system!!!
Our spine and nervous system are the FIRST system in the body to form after conception. Whilst many of our cells constantly die and replace themselves, the nerve cells do not – they are mostly unchanging in structure. We know however, that the way they connect to each other is constantly remodelling through a process called neuro-plasticity.
The nervous system is divided into different sections such as the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system), peripheral nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, the cerebellum, and more. The nervous system has many functions in the body. It’s main role is to process and coordinate information.
Your spine consists of 24 bones plus the sacrum and coccyx. The function of the spine is to provide movement, and to protect the spinal cord and nerves. Each bone moves a small amount and when added together the spine is able to move as a unit. This is a very clever function.
Muscles attach to the spine, and the tension (amount of tightness) in muscles is controlled by the nerves passing out through the gaps in the spine. Muscles in our body, such as those in our trunk, arms, and legs, are controlled by nerve messages, beginning in the brain, passing down the spine, and travelling out to the end muscle.
Our physical body and organs have sensors in them (“receptors”), which send information back into the spinal cord, and up to our brain. This is how we “feel” our body (for example pain, balance, and temperature). These messages pass into the sensory part of the brain, but they also transmit to an important area of the brain called the cerebellum. The cerebellum has an important FEEDBACK function, telling the brain when there is error. This function had important implications for movement, though, and emotional functions.
The nervous system also controls the function of our organs. For example, nerves from the upper and lower parts of our spinal cord helps us with “rest and digest” functions, by slowing down some organs (such as our muscles), and speeding up other (such as our digestive systems). Nerves from the middle part of our spinal cord helps us with “fight or fright” – speeding up some organs (such as our heart), and increasing the tone in our muscles, preparing our body for action.
So we can see that it is essential to ensure that the spine and nervous system are working well.
How we see you and your health
At OptiStart Chiropractic Berwick we see you in a wholistic way and vitalistic way. That means that we see you as a whole person, existing and functioning as “living energy.”
This intelligent living energy exists throughout your body, but is transmitted over the master system – the nervous system.
Without us having to think about it, our intelligent energy systems control the functions of the body. Imagine the effort required if you had to constantly think about the millions of functions occurring in your body every moment, every day – you would be exhausted!
We also see you as PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER. As individual humans we exist in connection with other humans, other animals, plants, the environment, and nature around us. We are part of a bigger energy system.
The big idea of Chiropractic is that we can all function well individually, and this good internal function benefits us as a being, but also contributes to the health of our communities, nation, and universe.
We acknowledge your body’s own ability to self-develop, heal, and function, and therefore do no try to “treat” our symptoms or conditions from the “outside-in.”
Instead, we search for areas where your body is not working well, and remove these areas of interference, so that your body can have its best chance of expressing its inner intelligence.
Subluxation: An interference to the nerve system
Interference to the nervous system can occur in many ways, such as with habitual thought patterns, emotions, chemical processes or trauma.
One type of nerve interference is called “Subluxation.”
When Subluxation is present, there is a combination of LOSS OF MOVEMENT and NERVE INTERFERENCE.
This affects the nervous system in a number of ways. Science tells us that nerves may be affecting local structures, such as local muscles. However, recent science also tells us that messages to the brain may be affected through sensory nerves.
Sometimes we are unable to tell exactly HOW it is affecting the nervous system, but the presence of Subluxation is something we want to correct regardless of any obvious symptoms, or conditions.