The spine, your backbone, is made of 24 small bones—each called a vertebra and collectively called vertebrae—through which the spinal cord runs. The spinal cord, of course, is the main conduit of information and sensation running between the brain and the other parts of the body.

The bones of the spine protect your spinal cord. The vertebrae are separated by discs, which are soft, compressible shock absorbers of sorts. For identification purposes, the spine is considered to have three distinct areas, each corresponding with the back’s natural curves. The cervical spine consists of the seven vertebrae beginning at the base of the skull and essentially making up the neck; the thoracic spine, with 12 vertebrae, forms the middle back; and the lumbar, or lumbosacral region, forms the lower back.

Nerves emanate from the spinal cord and between the vertebrae to every part of the body. If one or more of the vertebrae get out of line, either through normal wear and tear or through the trauma of a fall or an auto accident, they could impinge on a nerve and interfere with the transmission of information between the brain and a body part. This misalignment, known in chiropractic parlance as a subluxation, can also cause pain in a corresponding body part. Visit a chiropractor for more information on the spine and its role in a healthy lifestyle.