I am often asked what is necessary to be healthy.  Some of the obvious things are diet, sleep and exercise. However, the most overlooked, and in my opinion, the most important, is a properly functioning nervous system. So a great question is: “what is the status of your nervous system?” More specifically, what is the “tone”? 

A good way to consider this is to imagine the finest cellist in the world playing the finest cello. Any piece played will be considered perfection.

What if the tension on each of the strings of the cello was changed? Upon playing, instead of the most beautiful sound, there would be sound but likely not music.

Consider that you are the cellist and your spine and nervous system is the cello. The nervous system is suspended like strings on the cello from the brain to the pelvis. If there are changes in position and movement of the spine- we refer to these as NeuroStructural Shifts, then, there are forces placed on the cord and nerves that branch out to the body; changing their tension or “tone.” This abnormal tension reduces the ability of the body to transfer information through and over the nerves.  The reason? The nerves are very sensitive to forces. The weight of a dime will literally reduce nerve efficiency by 15.4% to 78% though normal motion (1). 

Remember, these nerves control EVERYTHING including movement, and all body function, regulation, control and coordination.  In fact, without nerve impulses, you couldn’t live a split second! With this change in TONE of the nervous system, you are no longer making music, just noise.

So now what must be done? You tune the cello! However, before this can be done, you need to know the status of your nervous system. Specific and comprehensive NeuroStructural Examination and NeuroFunctional Assessment will determine the current state of tone. Then and only then, through NeuroStuctural Optimization, can there be correction of the NeuroStructural Shifts to restore proper nervous system tone, allowing you to make beautiful music.

(1) R. Scott Alderson, D.C., George J. Muhs, D.C., DABCN, CCN “The Effects of Mild Compression on Spinal Nerve Roots with Implications for Models of Vertebral Subluxation and the Clinical Effects of Chiropractic Adjustment.” J. Vertebral Subluxation Res., 4(2), 2001;37-49