Consider the  nervous system as the 'master controller' of all cells, tissues and organs. Nerves control the heart, lungs, immune system, endocrine system, as well as our thoughts and other cognitive processes. Effectively, the nervous system is in charge of directing and orchestrating all bodily functions - keeping us alive and healthy, fighting off diseases and infections, and healing us after we have sustained injury. Many people are surprised to learn that the spine plays a key role in protecting the nervous system. In fact, the main function of the spinal column (in addition to providing movement for the torso) is to encase and protect the spinal cord and nerve roots. Without this protection it's unlikely that we would survive a relatively small slip or fall. As the spinal cord descends from the brain, spinal nerve roots peel away from the spinal cord at each vertebral level and exit through openings made by adjacent vertebrae. These small protective pathways are called intervertebral foramen or IVFs and permit safe exit of the delicate nerve roots to the rest of the body.

The IVFs are vulnerable to herniated or bulging spinal discs, subluxated vertebrae, arthritic bony growths, and inflammatory biochemicals from nearby injured tissues. Such irritants impinge upon the spinal nerve roots. When there is painful  irritation and interference to a nerve, messages or impulses travelling along that nerve can get scrambled. Some signals become only slightly altered while others may completely fail to reach their destination. As this process continues, those cells, tissues and organs which depend on the affected nerves for communication become less effective in performing their many important tasks, becoming less able to maintain their optimal health. Ultimately, the affected tissues can deteriorate, degenerate and become non functional and diseased. Chirpractic manipulation helps to reduce nerve impingements and therby help maintain a healthy nervous system. This model of disease helps explain why so many patients under Chiropractic care have noted dramatic improvements with many seemingly "non-spinal" conditions.