Navigating Your Nerves- A Beginners Guide

When you see one of our Peak clinicians for an adjustment, you know we're working directly on your nervous system. But do you understand exactly what the nervous system is and how it interacts with your body? It is one of the most remarkable major systems in the body, serving as the primary control centre. As we discuss with all of our clients, the nervous system controls everything, and I want you to understand what we mean.

Simply said, the nervous system controls the body by sending messages or electrical signals from one part to another. Consuming almost 25% of your daily calories, the nervous system regulates every bodily function, every organ, every cellular process, every physiological and psychological reaction, and every thought you have!

 

The nervous system consists of two primary components:

1.     Central nervous system (CNS)

•     consists of the brain and the spinal cord
•     main control centre
•     receives information from the body and then generates instructions, thereby controlling all the activities of the human body

2.     Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

•     formed from thousands of nerves that link the spinal cord of the CNS to the target tissues, and from the target tissues to the CNS
•     nerves that carry information from the peripheral sense organs (i.e. eyes, tongue, ears, skin, etc.) to the CNS are called ascending, afferent, or sensory nerve fibres
•     those fibres that carry information from the CNS to the periphery (muscles and glands) are the descending, efferent, or motor nerve fibres

The PNS is subdivided into two separate systems:

1.     The somatic nervous system, or voluntary system

•     consciously controlled
•     relays sensory and motor information between the skin, sensory organs, skeletal muscles, and the CNS
•     any movement of the muscles or any voluntary output utilises the somatic nervous system

2.     The autonomic nervous system, or involuntary system

•     unconsciously controlled
•     influence the function of the internal organs by controlling the smooth muscle and glands  

Another subdivision occurs, this time at the autonomic nervous system:

1.     The sympathetic nervous (SNS)

•     produces the ‘fight or flight’ mechanism
•     most active during stress
•     responsible for exciting or stimulating the body

2.     The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS)

•     produces the ‘rest and digest’ or ‘feed and breed’ activities
•     dominates during rest
•     responsible for calming down the body and preserving energy for a later date

This has only been a brief overview of the nervous system, which has been broken down into consumable (or understandable) pieces.  I hope this helps you comprehend just what a complex system it is and why it is so vital to us at PEAK that we help you keep yours functioning and communicating with your body correctly. We invite anyone who has never had their nervous system assessed to schedule an initial consultation with one of our expert clinicians to see how theirs is functioning.