Many of you remember Christopher Reeve. He was undoubtedly the most popular Superman ever. Not only was he a great actor, but many women couldn't take their eyes off him. He was what you call a "looker"!

Unfortunately, as you know he had a terrible accident. He fell forward from a horse and landed on his head fracturing the top two vertebrae in his neck. This caused severe nerve interference (pressure on his spinal cord) which affected the rest of his body immediately.

His legs were paralyzed, not because of injury to them directly, but because of the massive pressure on the spinal cord at the top of his neck. This pressure prevented the messages from getting from his brain to his legs. The same pressure caused a loss of power in his arms, hands, and fingers, rendering them useless as well.

What many people might not realize also was that from

What a C1-2 spinal fracture looks like

that moment on, he could no longer breathe on his own. It was obvious that the nerve pressure was great enough to cause a total loss of function, proving that much of our respiratory control also lies in this critical area of our spine.

Not only were all these areas affected but also his immune system was compromised badly...so badly that he was on antibiotics the rest of his life. This also proves that the brain and nerve system directly control our immune system and our ability to constantly fight off foreign invaders and remain healthy.

With all the above information, wouldn't it stand to reason that smaller or repetitive forces to a person's spine could also cause nerve interference, obviously to a lesser degree, but no less dangerous as the years move on?

Normal childbirth

This nerve interference (called a subluxation) gradually reduces the body's ability to cope with its environment over time, resulting in decreased health.

The lifeline of your health begins in the brain and travels down through your spine and out the nerves to every single cell in your body. Keeping it clear of interference should be your number 1 priority.

Hopefully you are seeing your chiropractor regularly to keep free from nerve interference, but how about the rest of your family? Just because they might not have symptoms right now doesn't mean they shouldn't be checked. If you want the best for them, then a healthy nerve system is where you start.

And thanks for using Chiropractic Lifecare of America!

Dr. Rick Franks