The human body has around 600 muscles, which fall into three main types:

Skeletal: Connect to your bones & help with voluntary movement.
Smooth: Present in organs, digestive tract, and blood vessels which are involuntary and work with your nervous system to make sure your body is functioning properly.
Cardiac: Located only in the heart where they are involuntarily controlled to pump blood throughout the body.

Your brain, nerves, and skeletal muscles work together to create movement, which is known as the neuromuscular system. Only around 10% of your body has sensory nerves that transmit feelings to your brain. These sensory nerves are primarily located in the muscles and surface areas of your body, which is why you are only able to feel and consciously control a small portion of your body. You don’t consciously control digestion, the beating of your heart, your liver, kidneys, pancreas, and a million other functions your body regulates every second of your life. When there is enough pressure on your nerves, this pressure can lead to secondary conditions or symptoms. For instance, pressure on your nerves originating from your cervical (neck) spine can cause tightness and aching in your shoulder. Muscles may tighten or loosen as a protective response to prevent further nerve injury. This pressure can be caused by a Neuro-Structural shift in your central nervous system and spine.

Your body’s sensations are intricately tied to the dynamic communication between your nervous system and your brain. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize the maintenance of a healthy Neuro-Structure. Your nervous system plays a vital role as the controller of muscle activity by governing contractions and relaxations. It’s essential to emphasize that your brain meticulously coordinates all muscular functions.

Muscles never operate independently; rather, they execute functions based on the precise coordination of your brain and nervous system.

Smooth muscles line your digestive system. These smooth muscles function autonomously, meaning they work without conscious control to facilitate the movement and digestion of food. Contrary to skeletal muscles, which are under conscious control, smooth muscles operate involuntarily. Your brain directs them through autonomic nerves that extend from different parts of your spine, including your upper neck, mid-back, lower back, and sacrum.

Additionally, your heart contains cardiac muscle, a unique blend of smooth and skeletal muscle. The primary function of the cardiac muscle is to pump blood throughout the body. Unlike the smooth muscles of your digestive tract, the nerves that control your heart are located in your neck and upper back.

Muscles, tendons, and ligaments work with your bones and joints. If the joints that your muscles are crossing aren’t moving properly, are fixated or shifted, your joint will influence those tissues and become stiff.

Shoulders can influence your neck
Hips will influence your lower back
Ribs will affect the torso of your body

Neuro-Structural shifts could be the underlying cause of a myriad of symptoms. Simply covering up or managing these symptoms with topical lotions, pain medications, massage, stretching, or even physical therapy is unlikely to correct the true cause of your condition and may lead to further spinal decay, nerve damage, and more aggressive deterioration. People often live with these symptoms, thinking it’s just muscular in nature and not understanding that their nervous system is being compressed and obstructed. The human body requires proper biomechanical movement and nerve supply for optimal function, which can only be achieved naturally through chiropractic care.

Now, there’s certainly a time and place for stretching, exercise, massage and physical therapy. Once your joints are corrected to their proper mechanics and nerve supply is restored, muscles can function and heal properly, resulting in relaxation and ease. This allows the body to move freely without compensation.

At Platinum Chiropractic, we thoroughly assess the spine and nervous system using objective measurements such as nerve scans using thermography and surface electromyography. These scans help us evaluate nerve function and identify any areas of obstruction (Neuro-Structural Shifts) that may manifest as muscle tightness. This simple and non-invasive testing can pinpoint the source of your concerns.