Your Spine and Your Health
You have 7 neck (cervical) vertebrae and they are named C-1 (right under your skull), C-2, C-3 all the way to C-7 at the bottom of your neck.
When a particular vertebra is out of position, certain nerves may be affected. If those nerves cannot supply your body parts (organs, glands, muscles, bones, etc.) with energy and information, they may not work properly and various conditions may result.
While there’s not a 100% correlation between a certain subluxation in your spine and a particular health problem, over a century of clinical observations have revealed that certain conditions seem to be associated with certain misaligned or subluxated vertebrae. Following are common correlations.
Nerves from between your skull and C-1 (atlas) affect your head, face, upper neck, inner & middle ear, sympathetic nerve system, sinuses, eyes, auditory nerves, pituitary gland, scalp, brain and more! So many nerves are in this area that when a C-1 subluxation is corrected nerves all over your body, your spinal cord, brain, brain coverings (meninges) as well as your entire spine from top to bottom may be helped.
What can a C-1 subluxation do to me?
A subluxation of your atlas (C-1) has been related to headaches, migraines, nervousness, insomnia, head colds, nervous “breakdowns”, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, ear infections, hormonal problems, menstrual difficulties, depression, “brain fog”, low IQ, low resistance to disease, low overall brain function, digestive problems and many other conditions.
Nerves between the atlas (C-1) and the axis (C-2) affect your optic nerves, sinuses, mastoid bones, tongue, forehead and heart.
What can a C-2 subluxation do to me?
A subluxation of your axis (C-2) has been related to sinus troubles, allergies, crossed eyes, deafness, eye troubles, fainting spells and seizures as well as many other conditions.
Chiropractors are able to locate and correct (adjust) subluxations in your body, especially those of your upper neck: your atlas and axis (C-1 and C-2). What can cause C-1 and/or C-2 to go out of place? Stress is often the culprit. Sometimes a difficult or even not-so-difficult birth can subluxate the upper neck vertebrae and cause body malfunction and health problems for someone for the rest of their lives. That’s why it’s especially important for these areas to be checked by a chiropractor as early as possible.
Other causes of upper cervical (upper neck) subluxations include emotional traumas, falls, car accidents, bicycle accidents, boating accidents, getting knocked around playing sports, chemical stress such as junk food and anything that overcomes your natural tendency to stay balanced.
When you have a subluxation of your neck vertebrae, certain nerves and areas are affected. Below are some of the more common findings.
C3: Nerves from C3 go to your cheeks, outer ear, face, teeth and lungs. Neuralgia, neuritis, acne, pimples, dry skin and other conditions are noted in C3 subluxations.
C4: Nerves from C4 go to your nose, lips, mouth, Eustachian tube, mucus membranes and lung. Hay fever, hearing problems, tonsillitis and other conditions are noted in C4 subluxations.
C5: Nerves from C5 go to your vocal cords, neck glands, and pharynx. Laryngitis, hoarseness, throat conditions and other conditions are noted in C5 subluxations.
C6: Nerves from C6 go to your neck muscles, shoulders and tonsils. Stiff neck, pain in the upper arm, weakness in the arm, loss of grip strength and other conditions have been noted in C6 subluxations.
C7: Nerves from C7 go to your thyroid gland, shoulder bursa and elbows. Bursitis, thyroid, shoulder and other conditions have been noted in C7 subluxations
Subluxations stress your spine, discs, ligaments, muscles and they affect the nerves that help your organs, glands, muscles and other body parts function. What about the vertebra below your neck, in your mid-back (thoracic or dorsal) spine? What is their story? When your chiropractor gives you an adjustment, what can be affected?
There are twelve thoracic vertebrae. Your ribs connect to them in the back and to your sternum (breastbone) in the front. When you have a subluxation of your thoracic vertebrae, certain nerves and areas are affected. Below are some of the more common findings.
Thoracic 1. Nerves from T1 go to your arms, hands, wrists, fingers, esophagus, trachea, heart, blood pressure centers and lungs. Arm, hand, wrist and finger pain; nerve sensations; weakness; asthma; dry cough; shortness of breath and other conditions are noted in T1 subluxations.
T2. Nerves from T2 go to your heart (including valves and pericardium), lungs and bronchial tubes. Heart conditions, chest pains, irregular heartbeat, asthma, breathing problems and other conditions are noted in T2 subluxations.
T3. Nerves from T3 go to your lungs, bronchial tubes, pleura, chest, breast and heart. Bronchitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, congestion, breast-feeding difficulties, breathing problems and other conditions are noted in T3 subluxations.
T4. Nerves from T4 go to your gall bladder, common bile duct, lungs and bronchial tubes. Gall bladder conditions, jaundice, shingles and other conditions are noted in T4 subluxations.
T5. Nerves from T5 go to your liver, solar plexus, heart, esophagus and stomach. Liver, solar plexus, heart and stomach problems; poor digestion; poor circulation and other conditions are noted in T5 subluxations.
T6. Nerves from T6 go to your stomach, esophagus, peritoneum, liver and duodenum. Indigestion (digestive problems), heartburn, ulcers, lack of energy, sluggishness and other conditions are noted in T6 subluxations.
T7. Nerves from T7 go to your pancreas, duodenum, stomach, liver, spleen, gallbladder and peritoneum. Diabetes, gastritis, pancreatitis, low immunity, poor digestion, sluggishness and other conditions are noted in T7 subluxations.
T8. Nerves from T8 go to your spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, adrenal cortex, small intestine and pyloric value. Spleen and stomach problems, stress symptoms (including low sex drive, low immunity and exhaustion), leukemia, indigestion and other conditions are noted in T8 subluxations.
T9. Nerves from T9 go to your adrenal cortex, pancreas, spleen, gallbladder, ovaries, uterus and small intestine. Stress symptoms (see above), allergies, hives and other conditions are noted in T9 subluxations.
T10. Nerves from T10 go to your kidneys, appendix, testes, ovaries, uterus, adrenal cortex, spleen, pancreas and large intestine. Kidney troubles, kidney stones, lack of energy, nephritis, stress symptoms (see T8), testicular dysfunction, uterine problems, appendicitis, constipation and other conditions are noted in T10 subluxations.
T11. Nerves from T11 go to your kidneys, ureters, large intestine, urinary bladder, uterus, kidneys, and ileocecal valve. Uterine conditions, ovary conditions, bladder problems, elimination problems and other conditions are noted in T11 subluxations.
T12. Nerves from T12 go to your small intestine, large intestine, urinary bladder, uterus, kidneys and ileocecal valve and also affect lymph circulation. Rheumatism, gas pains, lymph circulation disruption, small intestine problems and other conditions are noted in T12 subluxations.
You have five lumbar vertebrae in your low back. When you have a subluxation of your lumbar vertebrae, certain nerves and areas are affected. Below are some of the more common findings.
Remember that subluxations stress your spine, discs, ligaments, muscles and blood vessels and they affect the nerves that help your organs, glands, muscles and other body parts function.
Lumbar L1. Nerves from L1 go to your large intestine, inguinal rings and uterus. Constipation, colitis, diarrhea, hernias, uterine problems and other conditions have been noted in people with L1 subluxations.
L2. Nerves from L2 go to your appendix, abdomen, upper leg and urinary bladder. Appendicitis, cramps, difficulty breathing, acidosis, leg pain and numbness, sciatica and other conditions have been noted in people with L2 subluxations.
L3. Nerves from L3 go to your sex organs, uterus, bladder, knees, prostate and large intestine. Bladder troubles, menstrual troubles, male impotency, knee and foot problems, bowel problems and other conditions have been noted in people with L3 subluxations.
L4. Nerves from L4 go to your prostate gland, muscles of the lower back and then form the sciatic nerve. Prostate problems, low back spasms, sciatica pain, leg weakness and other conditions have been noted in people with L4 subluxations.
L5. Nerves from L5 go to your lower legs, ankles, feet and prostate. Swollen ankles, weak ankles, tingling in the feet, leg cramps and other conditions have been noted in people with L5 subluxations.
Sacrum. Nerves from your sacrum go to your hipbones, buttocks, rectum, sex organs, genitalia, urinary bladder, ureter and prostate. Pelvic problems, leg length inequalities, spinal curvatures, impotence, urinary incontinence, kidney and bladder infections and other conditions have been noted in people with sacrum subluxations.
Coccyx. Nerves from your coccyx go to your rectum and anus and anchor your meninges (coverings around
your brain and spinal cord). Migraine, headache, bizarre “whole body pains,” mental problems, hemorrhoids, anal itching, pain with sitting and other conditions have been noted in people with coccyx subluxations.