"If The Problem Is In The Brain, Why Adjust The Spine?"
Jarek Esarco
Adjusting the spine can impact the brain because a vertebral subluxation negatively effects brain function. How is this possible? The brain and what the spine protects, the spinal cord, are one in the same.
The Nerve System is the master control system of the body. It controls every movement we make, regulates our body organs, senses everything we feel and relates us to the outside world.
The Nerve System is intricate to how the body functions. All other body systems are no more than one cell away from the Nerve System.
This makes the Nerve System very complex. To better grasps its anatomy, the Nerve System is sectioned out into 2 main parts, the Central Nerve System and the Peripheral Nerve System.
The Peripheral Nerve System includes all the nerves and ganglia found outside the skull and spine. The Central Nerve System comprises all the nerves inside the skull and spine.
Anatomically, the brain is protected by the skull and the spinal cord is protected by the spine. Physiologically speaking, the connection between the brain and spinal cord is inseparable.
The brain and spinal cord communicate directly with each other. The spinal cord is the main instrument that the brain uses to convey functional information to the body. Quoting Dr. Irvin Korr, PhD: “The spinal cord is the keyboard on which the brain plays when it calls for activity or for change in activity.”
In general, the brain stores information and produces electricity. This electrical information is a nerve impulse. The spinal cord then propagates that nerve impulse to the body. Quoting Dr. Harry Vedder, DC: “Not only do we think through our brain, but the impulse resulting from this thought is transmitted through the spinal cord or cranial nerves, is conveyed through the spinal nerves, ganglia, etc., and is expressed through the tissue cells which function because of it.”
If the spinal cord is not functioning as best as it can, the brain can’t as well. A problem of the spine only makes a problem of the brain worse. When the keys on which the brain play are “out of tune”, there is dissonance in the whole Central Nerve System. A major malfunction of the spinal cord is a vertebral subluxation.
A vertebral subluxation interferes with the normal communication of nerve impulses. A vertebral subluxation at the upper cervical spine has the greatest effect on brain function because it is the area where the brain and spinal cord intersect. A subluxation of the upper cervical spine also has the potential to make the whole spine malfunction.
Chiropractic helps improve the function of the Central Nerve System by removing disruptions at the spinal level. Quoting Dr. Hiedi Haavik , BSc, PhD: “Chiropractic care restores the health and function of your spine thereby improving the communication between your brain, your body, and the environment. If your brain can perceive what is going on it can control your body better.”
Chiropractic care involves a specific adjustment to the upper cervical spine. The adjustment corrects the vertebral subluxation and allows for better communication between the brain and body. Better nerve communication means better health outcomes throughout the whole Nerve System.
Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby.