Pinched Nerves Nerves send signals from the brain to all parts of the body, to every organ and every tissue. The complex nervous system consists of two major, distinct components: a motor division and a sensory division. The motor division is responsible for relaying commands from the brain that deal with movement of the muscles. The sensory division is responsible for relaying information to the brain from the senses such as sight, sound, smell, touch, hot, cold, etc. Obviously, without proper integrity of the motor and sensory components, your nervous system could not function properly. Nerve impulses travel to or from the brain through the spinal cord, which is made up of long bundles of nerve tissue and is protected within the bones of the spine. Nerves exit the spine by way of small canals, known as the intervertebral foramina formed between two adjacent vertebrae. Nerves are not the only things passing through the foramina. Blood vessels, meninges (the tissue covering nerve bundles), and vessels carrying lymphatic fluid also pass through. If the bones in the spine are misaligned (subluxated), pressure can be placed on the nerve and other components in the form of impingement, entrapment, compression, stretching or other irritation. This resultant pressure can alter the nerve impulse supply going to all tissues of the body and can lead to pain and/or disease. Over the years, the term "pinched nerve" has developed into a catch-all phrase for back pain, but the term is inaccurate in describing the actual mechanism that creates nerve interference. Nerves are not really pinched, since that would imply that the nerve flow is cut off completely. A more accurate description is that the nerves are compressed. Most health care authorities now refer to this compression of nerves as "nerve encroachment" or "neuro, spinal compression." Doctors of chiropractic use the term "Vertebral Subluxation Complex" as their unique description or label for the condition involving spinal nerve root compression. Can Chiropractic locate and correct the Vertebral Subluxation Complex? In a word - Yes! Chiropractic is the only health care profession whose primary emphasis is on locating, understanding and correcting the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. The spinal manipulation, properly administered by a licensed doctor of chiropractic, is generally relied upon as the most effective treatment for the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.