Anatomy of the Backbone

Here at the chiropractic office of Dr. Maryam Jafarieh in Fort Lauderdale, we provide holistic care for a number of ailments originating in the back. Chiropractic isn’t just the study of the back; it’s an approach to medicine that focuses on the interplay between the spine and the rest of the body. To understand how it works, patients must first learn about the back’s structure.

The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that travels from the skull through a canal formed by hollow protrusions in the bones that together from the backbone. These bones are called “vertebrae,” and there are twenty-four of them which move individually. The top two are called the atlas and axial vertebrae and are the only articulated vertebrae not separated by a spongy disc. They and the next five bones are the “cervical vertebrae,” those which make up the neck. The twelve which the ribs branch off of are called “thoracic vertebrae” and the five which form the lower back are the “lumbar vertebrae.” Below the lumbar vertebrae are the sacrum and the coccyx (also known as the tailbone), which are each made up of several vertebrae fused together.

The vertebrae are connected to each other by facet joints and back pain is often due to inflammation affecting the joints or discs. The adjustments and decompression therapy we offer in our office are meant to relieve pressure, soothing the patient’s pain and preventing interference to signals from the spinal cord.

Dr. Maryam Jafarieh’s chiropractic clinic is at 1515 East Commercial Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33334. To schedule an appointment, visit Ft Lauderdale Chiropractic or call 954-229-1995.

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