The nervous system is the master control network for your body, directing virtually every function and action from monitoring your life needs to precisely responding to threats to your health.
Each system—from your cardiovascular system to your digestive and immune systems—is directed through nerve impulses originating in your brain or spinal cord that travel through its protective bony structure: the spinal column.
The neck is the region of the spine most vulnerable to injury. Indeed, death can even result from significant trauma to the neck. When the trauma is not fatal, the consequences can still be severe, such as when paralysis strikes.
Most people will not experience these severe injuries, however sprains of the delicate ligaments in the neck do commonly occur. Despite the injury being smaller, their location (the neck) makes their impact more profound. Because every nerve passes through the neck, if irritation or compression is present on the spinal cord or associated nerves, virtually any system of the body can be affected. The point being is that a neck disorder will not necessarily just cause neck pain or headaches. Dizziness, digestive problems, fatigue, high blood pressure, and generally reduced quality of life are just some of the symptoms patients with cervical dysfunction commonly experience.
If you have suffered a severe whiplash injury, you may have noticed far more than a stiff neck. Indeed, recent research suggests whiplash needs to more thought of as a whole body disorder.
