In the upper cervical spine, there are four main structures to focus on. They are:
The Foramen Magnum of the Occipital bone
The Atlas vertebra (1st cervical bone)
The Axis vertebra (2nd cervical bone)
The Brainstem of the Nerve System.
The Brainstem exits from the Foramen Magnum. The Atlas and Axis bones protect and surround the Brainstem. The brainstem connects all the nerves from the brain to the nerves of the body.
Regarding a Pinched Nerve, the primary focus is on the Brainstem.
There are an estimated 400 trillion nerve tracts in the brainstem. Every nerve fiber within the brain has a connecting nerve tract that runs throughout your entire body. The main portal of entry to the rest of the body for the brain is called the foramen magnum and is found on the occipital bone. All the nerve fibers and nerve tracts from the brain come together as they pass out through the foramen magnum. The brainstem runs all the way down to the second cervical vertebra or the axis bone.
The Nerve System in general has four main functions:
It controls all the movements we make
Senses everything we feel
Regulates all our body organs
Relates us to the outside world
When nerves get stressed, it effects their sensitivity, perception and behavior to perform these functions. There are three types of stress we deal with in life. The stresses are physical, chemical and emotional in nature. These stresses create nerve tension and spine imbalance.
One specific job of the brainstem is to adapt to these stresses and help bring the spine back into balance. If the stresses are too significant for the brainstem to adapt, compensations arise. A vertebral subluxation is one particular compensation in the upper cervical spine.
A vertebral subluxation will cause the Atlas and Axis bones to get locked in a misaligned position. This lock will perpetuate spine imbalance and Nerve System tension. This tension will lead to abnormal sensitivity, perception and behavior of the brainstem and associated nerve tracts. Nerve System function is disrupted.
Over time, this disruption can lead to symptoms of the involved nerve structures. The usual symptoms of a Pinched Nerve are:
Numbness or decreased sensation in the area supplied by the nerve.
Sharp, aching or burning pain, which may radiate outward.
Tingling, pins and needles sensations (paresthesia)
Muscle weakness in the affected area.
Frequent feeling that a foot or hand has "fallen asleep"
If we reference the Brainstem we can see that it associates with a Pinched Nerve.
The goal of Chiropractic is not to medically treat the symptoms of a Pinched Nerve. The aim of Chiropractic is to correct nerve tension and spine imbalance. Chiropractors correct this by adjusting the vertebral subluxation of the upper cervical spine.
Correcting the subluxation better optimizes the function of the brainstem and associated nerves. The Nerve System overall can sense, perceive and behave at a greater potential when a subluxation is corrected.
- Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP
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.