Bones of the Spine
The spine is where nerves from the rest of the body converge and it is highly complex. At Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock, we make minimally invasive adjustments to the spinal column that can relieve musculoskeletal pain and functional problems, but we also believe a patient’s mindset is a core component of their health. To get our patients more comfortable with chiropractic care, we thought it would be good for them to become more familiar with the spine’s anatomy. Our backbones are actually made up of dozens of different bones called vertebrae. Most of them can move somewhat independently. They enclose the spinal cord, which is the bundle of nerves stretching from the brain to the pelvis, are separated from each other by spongy discs in front, and are joined together by facet joints in back. The first seven vertebrae, starting from the top, are the cervical vertebrae, or neck bones. The topmost one is called the “atlas” and moves the head up and down, while the second one, th...