The Four Spinal Curves That You Need for Optimal Health

Most people know that chiropractors work primarily on the spine, and some people even know that they can help correct abnormal curvature of the spine, such as scoliosis. But did you know that you should actually have four curves in your spine that are very important to your overall health? Furthermore, did you know that not everyone has these important curves?

When looking at your spine from the side, you should have four curves. You should have forward-facing curves in your cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back), and backward-facing curves should be present in your thoracic spine (upper back) and sacral spine (hip area). While most people have these curves, they are often too shallow or too extreme and can negatively impact their health. In more serious scenarios, some curves may be nonexistent or actually going in the opposite direction, leading to a myriad of health problems.

A healthy adult spine should consist of 4 spinal curves, if you look sidewards:

Cervical region has a normal lordosis or forward curve.

Thoracic region has a normal kyphosis or backward curve.

Lumbar region has a normal lordosis or forward curve.

Sacral region has a normal kyphosis or backward curve.

Together, these natural curves form an S-shape; the spine’s ideal curve. This spring-like shape enables the spine to absorb shock from physical trauma and supports more weight than it could if it were straight. When these slight curves are either too severe or too ‘straight’, an individual’s normal body functions and health can suffer.

Out of the 4 spinal regions, the cervical region is most prone to curve loss or distortion. This often results from some type of trauma, whether from the birth process, whiplash injury or other physical stress.

The loss of cervical curve is often referred to as a “military neck.”  It is called that way since the shape looks straight and feels like it’s “standing at attention.” Besides symptoms of headache and neck pain, a loss of cervical curve can affect your ability to rotate your head. Plus, it may cause neurological problems throughout the body.

How Chiropractic Can Help Improve Spinal Curves

Spinal curves are all about healthy discs, healthy surrounding muscles, and proper spinal alignment. Your spine may look great from the front or back, but if it’s in rough shape from the side, it still needs some attention from a Rochester Hills chiropractor. If your spinal curves are less than optimal, it’s due to misalignments of the vertebrae. When these small bones shift forward or backward, they can disrupt the proper curvature and bring about a slew of symptoms, health concerns, and pain. Thankfully, The Kings Park Chiropractic can help.

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