Taking Control of Your Health – The Stern Chiropractic Newsletter

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM – PART III

Referral Corner:
The Greatest Compliment my Patients Can Give is the Referral of Their Friends and Loved Ones. Thank You For Your Trust. This month, I would like to thank the following people for their trust: The Karbin Family, Michael Kupperman, The Conlon Family, Carmela Charo & Jessica Masaracchia.

Charity Corner:
Stern Chiropractic is collecting donations for The Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research. A matching contribution will be made by Stern Chiropractic (certain restrictions apply). Please join me in helping fund research that will help convince your insurance company to increase your chiropractic coverage.

Topic of the Month : THE NERVOUS SYSTEM – PART III

In the previous two parts of this series on the nervous system we learned that the nervous system controls all that you do, say, feel and think and, if it is not functioning properly, you will not function properly. We also learned that the CNS is the main control center and the primary information highways of your nervous system. If the CNS is not functioning properly, it can affect any and all functions of your body. Chiropractic care is the primary care for nervous system problems.

Overview of Nervous System

There are 3 primary components of the nervous system along with their sub-components:

1. Central Nervous System (CNS)

– Brain

– Spinal Cord

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) (Somatic)

– Cranial Nerves

– Spinal Nerves

3. Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

– Sympathetic Nervous System

– Parasympathetic Nervous System

Note: The peripheral and autonomic nervous systems are both organized into Afferent (Sensory) and Efferent (Motor) systems. The afferent component carries information into the CNS. The efferent component carries information from the CNS to the muscles and glands.

The following diagram is included to help you understand how these elements are associated with each other. Not fully demonstrated here is the fact that information flows both ways in the nervous system and the afferent input from the ANS & PNS flow up to the CNS and then the efferent information to control a specific action flows back down to the appropriate end organ or tissue.

The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The PNS is made up of 12 pairs of Cranial Nerves, with 10 of these pairs attached to the brain stem and 2 pairs attached to the brain. The Cranial Nerves supply such important functions as blinking, movement of the eyes, sensation and pain in the face and head, muscular control of the face, sensations to the throat and swallowing, muscles of the neck and function of your tongue.

The 31 pairs of spinal nerves branch out of the spinal cord at each spinal level from neck (cervical) down to your low back (lumbar) and serve as the roadways that branch off the super-highway (spinal cord) and carry the information to the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments) and back. This includes transportation of information from your finger tips that feel things such as hot and cold; your feet that sense how you are standing and walking and help provide information to adjust your balance, the movement of your arms, legs and torso. If there is interference in the PNS, your body may not properly function when trying to perform regular activities such as picking-up a glass of water, turning a doorknob or moving your arms, legs and head in coordination to drive your car. It may also respond to situations like lifting your foot up when you step on a sharp nail or moving your hand away when you lean on a hot stove top.

PNS dysfunction is what most people commonly associate with chiropractic i.e. sore backs and necks. Chiropractic care is very successful in helping resolve these problems.

How Does Chiropractic Care Help the Peripheral Nervous System?

Subluxations (restrictions in spinal joint function that inhibit proper nervous system information flow) is one of the primary causes of PNS problems because it interferes with information passing into and out of the PNS to and from the CNS right were they come together just outside of the spinal cord. Chiropractic care eliminates subluxations and restores proper function to the PNS.

Other PNS problems include trauma, sports injuries, car accidents and work-related injuries. By using a combination of chiropractic adjustments, soft tissue techniques, massage, electric stimulation, ice, nutritional support, etc … chiropractors resolve the problems at their source; the nervous system. Chiropractors are the best and most cost effective healthcare resource to resolve Peripheral Nervous System problems.

October is National Spinal Health Month. In honor of this, during September and October, Stern Chiropractic is offering FREE spinal health evaluations by appointment. Call TODAY to schedule your appointment and find out if Subluxation is destroying your health.

Products of the Month : Living Fuel Shake

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I hope this information helps you take control of your health and your life! If you have any questions, feedback or have any suggestions for future topics, please call or email me.

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Don’t forget the importance of maintaining your health with regular chiropractic and acupuncture care.

Sincerely,

Gregg Stern, D.C., FICPA