Anatomy 101

The spine is one of the most important parts our body. It has three main functions:

Protects the spinal cord
Gives the body structure and support
Allows us to move freely

The Bones and Joints

The spine is made of 33 bones called vertebra that are stacked one above each other. There are:

7 cervical vertebra in the neck
12 thoracic vertebra in the middle back
5 lumbar vertebra in the low back.

The sacrum is a wedged shaped bone in the pelvis made of 5 fused vertebra. The tail end of the spine (literally) we have the coccyx made of 4 fused coccygeal vertebra. The vertebra are given names based on their position in the spine. L1 is the first lumbar vertebra. There are 2 bones that have special names because of their special function. The atlas (C1) holds up the head and the axis allows the head to rotate from side to side.

Here you can see 2 vertebra stacked on top of the other. 3 joints join the vertebra to each other. The large disc in the front is like a soft cushion and provides support and absorbs pressure. The disc has a poor blood supply and receives its nutrition via sucking the nutrients from the body when you move. Behind the disc there are 2 facet joints. The facet joints guide the movement of the vertebra and have a large supply of nerves that feed your brain with information about where your spine is and how it is moving. Your brain uses this information when it is deciding how your organs should function. Some amazing research by Dr. Akio Sato has been done in this field. This is why is it is so important to maintain the normal movement of your spine. Between the facet joints and the disc is a gap called the intervertebral foramen or the IVF for short. The spinal nerves exit the spinal canal through the IVF. There are a number of bumps on each vertebra. You can see the transverse and spinouts processes in the picture. The muscles and ligaments of the spine attach to these bumps.

The Ligaments

There are a number of ligaments that cross between two vertebra. The ligaments hold the bones together while still allowing the joints to move. Some of the ligaments cross the intervetebral foramen and reduce the space the spinal nerves have to exit the spinal canal. When there is joint restriction the ligaments can rub twist and squash the nerves reducing their ability to carry healthy information from the brain to the body or the body back to the brain. With age and lack of exercise the ligaments become shorter and harder, making the joints stiffer. In the long term tight and stiff ligaments pull on the bones and produce bone spurs. Exercise and adjustments to maximize the health of the ligaments will minimize the effects of osteoarthritis in the future.

The Muscles

here are multiple layers of muscles in the back. Some are for supporting our spine and are called postural muscles or core muscles others are for moving our spine and are called the prime movers. The muscles are arranged in different patterns to bend our spine forwards backwards, sideways and rotate to each side. Like all muscles of the body the spinal muscles require good exercise and stretching to maintain their health and the health of your spine.

The Nerves

The spinal cord is the information superhighway between your brain and your body. Without it you could not move any part of your body and your organs could not function. It is made of millions of nerves. The spinal cord is protected by the bony spinal canal formed by the vertebra that are stacked one on top of the other. It is also protected by the duramater, a tough covering around the cord. Between the duramater and the spinal cord is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) The CSF is important for protection of the central nervous system (CNS), which includes the brain and the spinal cord and feeds the CNS with nutrients from the blood.

The Peripheral Nerves

The spinal nerves convey information between the central nervous system and the rest of the body. The spinal nerves exit the spinal canal through each of the intervertebral foramen between each pair of vertebra. Like the tributaries of a river the small spinal nerves form larger nerves, such as the sciatic nerve, which runs down the buttock into the leg. This is how your brain controls every single cell and organ in you body. The following chart describes which spinal nerves innervate (supply) which parts of the body. You will notice that all the body parts actually receive information from more than one spinal nerve and the nerves travel a great distance to get to the organ they are supplying. This is why the actual problem in the spinal can be a long way away from you feeling the problem.

Concluding that you are presently prepared to stopped smoking is just a large portion of the fight. Realizing where to begin your way to getting to be without smoke can assist you with taking the jump. We have assembled some viable ways for you to quit smoking today.

Stopping smoking is certainly not a solitary occasion that occurs on one day; it is a voyage. By stopping, you will improve your well being and the quality

To stop smoking, you not just need to change your conduct and adapt to the withdrawal side effects experienced from removing nicotine, however you additionally need to discover different approaches to deal with your mind-sets.

There are a few different ways to quit smoking, at the end of the day, you have to choose whether you are going to:

Stop suddenly, or keep smoking until your quit date and after that stop

Stop slowly, or lessen your cigarette admission gradually until your quit date and after that stop.

Some Tips To Prepare For A Quit Day :

Tell companions, family, and colleagues about your quit date.

Discard all cigarettes and ashtrays.

Choose whether you will go “without any weaning period” or use nicotine substitution treatment (NRT) or different prescriptions.

On the off chance that you intend to go to a Quit Smoking gathering, join now.

Stock up on oral substitutes, for example, hard treat, sugarless gum, carrot sticks, espresso stirrers, straws, and toothpicks.

Set up an emotionally supportive network, for example, a relative that has effectively stopped and is glad to support you.

Ask loved ones who smoke to not smoke around you.

In the event that you have attempted to stopped previously, consider what worked and what did not.

Seek Behavioral Support

The passionate and physical dependence you have on smoking makes it challenging to avoid nicotine after your quit day. To stop, you have to handle this dependence. Taking a stab at guiding administrations, self improvement materials, and bolster administrations can assist you with getting through this time. As your physical manifestations show signs of improvement after some time, so will your enthusiastic ones.

Social help can extend from written information and guidance to group treatment or individual advising face to face, by phone, or on the web. Self improvement materials likely increment quit rates contrasted and no help by any means, yet generally, counseling is the best social help strategy.

This year you have decided, you want to quit smoking, but suddenly you realized that you don’t have the courage to take step towards quitting smoking. If this is what you are going through, then you must know about quit smoking program.

What is Quit smoking program?

Quit smoking program is generally offered by hospitals, health departments, community centers, work sites, and national organizations.

With the help of the good quit-smoking program, any person can easily quit smoking. It’s all about showing support and encouragement towards smoker.

Types of Quit smoking programs:

Programs are available in various types for any smoker who wants to quit smoking like Attend in-person, by telephone, or online. Always look for a program that is led by someone who has had training in helping people quit smoking.

Why should you quit smoking?

Before any further cigarette consider these smoking facts that killing you and your loved ones inside.

Every cigarette you smoke shortens your life by 6 minutes!
Smoking is the #1 Cause of Premature Death in the United States!
Smoking is the #1 Risk Factor for Cancer, Heart Disease, and Stroke & Lung Disease!
According to the Center for Disease Control, Smoking kills over 440,000 people a year – more than one in five people in the United States – making it more lethal than AIDS, automobile accidents, homicides, suicides, and drug overdoses combined!
Smoking is the #1 cause of Premature Death in the United States!
Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 harmful and toxic chemicals!
Smoking is one of the strongest risk factors for Miscarriages, Premature Births, Low Birth Weight babies and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)!
Smoking also increases the risk for Impotence, Crohn’s disease, Cataracts, Periodontal Disease and also shrinks your Brain!

Quitting smoking program is the best thing you can do to improve your life and health.

An online quit-smoking program may work best for you if your schedule doesn’t allow you to attend in-person programs. There are many programs, such as the one at http://www.spinewise.ca/quit-smoking-programs/, that offer programs and resources to help you quit smoking.

Category: quit smoking program