Aren't chiropractors "back doctors"? No, chiropractors are technically nervous system doctors. Due to the fact the nervous system runs down the spine, this is our main area of concern. If the nervous system ran through the left elbow, most people would probably refer to us as "left elbow doctors." The spine is our focus in that it is the main area in the body to misalign and cause resultant nerve pressure. The spine, at birth, consists of thirty-three, bones called vertebrae. By adulthood these bones will shrink down to twenty-six in total due to the fusion of nine bones into two (the sacrum and coccyx). These twenty-six bones give the body support, provide the majority of the body's height, and most importantly protect the very delicate spinal cord. The spine along with the skull were designed to be very dense and sturdy to encase the nervous system. These vertebrae are like building blocks in that each one is stacked on one another. In viewing the spine from behind, these blocks should be aligned one on top of the other. The strongest the spine will be in this view will be straight up and down. Scoliosis (crooked spine) wrecks havoc on the spine due to the weakness it possesses by not being straight. (Chiropractic health care is the best strategy for scoliosis if caught early enough.) The spine from the side view should be curved. Like bridges and large buildings, curves are important to maintain strength. The same is true with the spine from this angle. When these curves are lost or exaggerated (hunch-back, sway-back, and straight-neck), the spine is weak and vulnerable to injury. The spine is further separated into sections. The neck (cervical spine) consists of seven unique bones. The mid-back (thoracic spine) consists of twelve bones each attached to a pair of ribs. The low-back (lumbar spine) consists of five bones. The pelvis consists of two lilac bones and the sacrum (the bone you sit on). The coccyx (tailbone) is connected at the end of the spine. The bones are separated from each other by discs. These are cushions between the bones. They act like jelly doughnuts in that there is a jelly inside and a surrounding cover outside. People often hear about bulging or herniated discs. To make it simple, discs are in either one of three stages: (1) normal, (2) contained herniation (bulged), or (3) non-contained herniation (ruptured). With a bulged disc (contained herniation), chiropractic care has shown to be very effective. A non-contained herniation (rupture) usually necessitates surgery. The spine in summary is a very complex joint system with approximately 110 joints designed to protect the nervous system. It is also the main area in the body where if structurally altered, can affect the body's health by causing nerve irritation.