Did You Know About This Hole in Your Head?

If there wasn’t a way for the brain to communicate with all of your organs, tissues and muscles, you’d be a vegetable. So one of the most important parts of the body is a “hole” in your head called the Foramen Magnum. This is where a critical area of your brain known as the brainstem exits the skull and becomes the spinal cord.

Collectively, the brain and spinal cord makeup the central nervous system (CNS). While the relationship between the nervous system and your health may seem like news to some people, it’s not exactly a marvel concept. Upper Cervical Chiropractors have been educating patients about the importance of a balanced nervous system for over 75 years.

Resting directly beneath the Foramen Magnum is the first spinal segment, better known as atlas or C1. This 2-oz ring shaped structure possesses a considerable degree of mobility relative to the other 23 bones of your spine. The persistent motion required by this region of the spine makes it the most prone to misalignment.

Though often subtle, this spinal segment can apply just enough pressure or irritation to compromise the “hole” in your skull, causing an imbalance between the head and neck. Muscles, ligaments and joints will compensate asymmetrically, effecting blood flow and in many cases, altering nerve transmission.

This change in nerve function can impact our ability to get well. Depending on the severity of the misalignment, pressure around the “hole” in your head can have devastating health complications.

Even pharmaceutical companies can appreciate this relationship. Edward Scolnick, research director at Merck, once said “To remain dominant in the future, we need to dominate the central nervous system.” Some of the most powerful (and dangerous) medications on the market today are CNS-suppressing drugs.

Have any of your doctors ever checked the “hole” in your head?

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