Spine Enews for Patients Dec. 15 2002 Edward Benzel MD
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Spine E-News is a weekly periodical reviewed by Spine Experts from SpineUniverse.com for spine patients and their families. |
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If you are a back pain sufferer, you probably have become very educated about your condition. However, do you know all you need to know about spinal anatomy? How is the human body designed? What are the various parts? What roles do they play in spinal health? I am pleased to serve as the Guest Editor for this week's SpineUniverse News because we have dedicated the issue to anatomy. It is vitally important that we all learn as much as we can about our body in order to understand how it works, and how to recognize when things are not working properly. I hope you find these articles informative. Sincerely,
Glossary of Spinal Terms A complete A-Z dictionary of some
common, and some not-so-common, spinal anatomy terms. A great
place to start our anatomy lesson. Vertebral Column Also called the spinal
column. Made up of 33 bones and divided into four regions, the
vertebral column extends from the skull to the pelvis. Cervical Spine Anatomy (Neck) Beginning at the base
of the skull, the cervical spine includes seven vertebrae and
eight pairs of cervical nerves. The cervical spine is responsible
for controlling the neck, arms, and upper body. Thoracic Spine Directly below the
cervical spine begins the thoracic region. This area of the spine
includes 12 vertebrae and the rib cage. Lumbar Spine This is the area of
the spine that carries the bulk of the body's weight. It includes
five vertebrae and five pairs of lumbar nerves. The Sacrum and Coccyx Directly below the
last lumbar vertebra is a group of five smaller bones, called
the sacrum. The coccyx, or tailbone, is a group of four small
bones and is located below the sacrum. Intervertebral Discs Intervertebral discs
are fibrous cushions that serve as the body's shock absorbers
and protect the vertebrae, the brain, and other structures of
the spine. Basic Bone Structure Did you know that bones
are organs? They are made up of living tissue and give structure
to the body. Structural Components of the Spine Dr. John Regan gives
a brief anatomy lesson to help you better understand what causes
back pain. Our Spine Experts Available to Answer Your Questions! Do you have a question
about your spinal condition that you would like to ask an expert
spine specialist? SpineUniverse is the only website where patients
interact with leading physicians within 48 hours of a question
being submitted. Simply click on the address below, and you will
be able to submit your question.
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS? Our Spine Experts
Available to Answer Your Questions! Did you know?
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