In our previous brief anatomy lesson we talked about the cervical spine, the first seven vertebrae of the human spine. Today, we're going to take a few minutes to look at the next big portion of the spine, the thoracic spine.

The twelve vertebrae of the thoracic spine are referred to as T1 through T12. Each of the twelve thoracic vertebrae articulate (join) with a pair of ribs, one on the left and one on the right. As with the cervical spine, thoracic nerves 1 through 12 exit the spine on the left and right through small openings between each pair of vertebrae.

These thoracic nerve roots enervate (supply pain and other sensory inputs) the chest, the back and a portion of the front of the arm approaching the wrist. Nerve root problems in the thoracic spine are often caused by spinal alignment issues and are often successfully treated with gentle chiropractic manipulations and other modalities available to Dr. Gallantine.

While fractures to the thoracic spine are rare, if the spinal cord is injured in the thoracic spine, it may have an impact on any nerves below the point of injury. In addition to mobility issues, people who have suffered spinal cord injuries in the thoracic region are susceptible to loss of bowel and bladder control, as well as sexual dysfunction.

If you are having significant mid-back pain, please contact us. Here at Lexington Family Chiropractic, our goal is to help you get back to everything you want to do, as quick as you can.

Remember, you don't have to live with the pain!