Summary
There are several vital nervous system and circulatory structures in the cervical spine that has vital consequences to your health and well being.
Having trouble turning your head to back out of the driveway? Difficulty with headaches and/or neck pain?
The spine contains 33 vertebrae when we are born, but after reaching skeletal maturity the average adult has 24 due to fusion of the sacral segments of the spine.
The upper most section, the cervical spine, consists of 7 vertebrae. At the very top, where your skull connects to the spine, is the C1/C2, or atlas/axis joint complex.
Mobility in this area is responsible for most of our ability to turn our head in either direction. There are several vital nervous system and circulatory structures in this area, as well.
Therefore, misalignment in this area has vital consequences to our health and well being.
Normal range of motion in the cervical spine is approximately 90 degrees to the left and 90 degrees to the right.
Normal range of motion at C1/2 accounts for 45 degrees of rotation, so this joint complex is responsible for about half of our normal neck range of motion.
So it makes sense that if there is misalignment and associated range of motion issues here, backing the car out of the driveway or changing lanes in traffic may be compromised!
Misalignments in this area are the result of many factors such as:
- Poor posture (sleep, computer, sitting, etc.)
- Car accidents
- Sports-related activities (football, wrestling, swimming, etc.)
- Repetitive movements (computering, driving, factory work, etc.)
Not only can misalignment at C1/2 contribute to mechanical issues, but it can also result in nervous system dysfunction and pain-related conditions.
There are several important structures in close proximity to this vital joint complex. The C1 vertebra abuts the brain stem which is responsible for regulating various functions throughout the body.
Several muscles connect the skull to C1, and the vertebral artery passes through here, which can interfere with communication of several cranial nerves and spinal nerves (C1 and C2) and compromise blood supply.
As a result, a variety of symptoms which one may not attribute to alignment issues associated with the spine may develop.
For example:
- Headaches (migraine, cervicogenic, tension, etc.)
- Head colds
- Dizziness
- Blood pressure
- Anxiety
- Sleep issues
Due to the freedom of movement associated with this area of the spine, it is susceptible to misalignment/subluxation issues. Therefore, it takes very little stress to compromise function here.
This is not a problem exclusive to adults, but newborns and children may be at risk, as well. Anyone that has ever experienced childbirth, even witnessed it, can attest to the trauma the head and neck are put through.
Combine that with the falls and injuries we experience growing up and through adulthood, and you can see how sensitive these structures are to our activities of daily living.
If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms, it would be wise to consider chiropractic care for relief of these symptoms to correct the cause instead of resorting drugs or surgery.
Give us a call at Family Chiropractic and Wellness where, for a $30 fee that is donated to our philanthropy, you can discover the cause of your problems and live a life of wellness.
