The Spinal Column

The spinal or vertebral column is a collection of 24 vertebrae plus the sacral bone. These bones provide support and mobility for the torso while also protecting the nervous system.

There are 4 distinct and different regions of the spinal column - the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions. Each contains a different number of vertebrae which are structurally unique. These structural variations make certain regions of the spinal column more flexible while making other regions more stable and less susceptible to injury.

When viewed from the rear the spine normally appears vertically straight . When viewed from the side, however, 4 separate spinal curvatures should be present. Both the cervical and lumbar regions naturally have a "C" shaped curvature, while the thoracic and sacral regions possess a reversed "C" shaped curvature. The angles of these curves play a crucial role in minimizing spinal biomechanical stresses which lead to spinal pain and greatly accelerated spinal degenerative processes.

The chiropractic doctor is an expert in spinal evaluation and rehabilitation. He or she is trained to identify even the slightest spinal abnormalities. Eliminating pain, inflammation and biomechanical stresses while increasing overall health and quality of life is what chiropractic care is all about.

Doctors of chiropractic are the only health care professionals whose primary training centers around the detection, treatment, and rehabilitation of spinal column disorders.

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