Don't get me wrong...the whole spine is important but your neck spine or cervical region is the most important.

Why?

The neck is the closest part of your spine to the brain which is the main control center of the body. Communication comes from your brain, down the spinal cord, out the nerve roots, to nerves that branch into smaller and smaller nerves going to all parts of the body.

Research has shown that the brain stem (the lower part of the brain even extends down to the 2nd or 3rd vertebrae (bones of the spine). Because of this, there is a greater amount of nervous system in the upper cervical spine.

We have a greater amount of nervous system reactions and communications going on in the brain compared to the rest of the spine or back. Remember it is the main control of the entire body...

Also, if you think about it, it's like a hose to a sprinkler system...if you block flow at the source of the water, then now water gets to any of the sprinkler system or lawn for that matter. If you have a blockage to the last sprinkler head in the line, you get water to the whole lawn except the area at the end where the last sprinkler would supply.

The nervous system and spine is much the same! If you have a problem high up in the spine it may cause problems all the way down the line!

Think about an extreme case where someone has a major accident or injury to the neck and because of it they become paralyzed from the neck down. Now, this is an extreme example that I would hope no one would ever have to go through, but on a small scale even mild pressure creates some loss in communication to the rest of the body.

This pressure can manifest it self as neck or back pain, headaches, arm and hand problems, muscle tension just to name a few.

SYMPTOMS LIKE PAIN ARE THE BODY'S WAY OF TELLING US SOMETHING IS WRONG!

...And over time if we keep pressure there it tends to get worse!

What causes pressure on the upper neck blocking the flow of the nerves? -Misalignments of the spine!!! - When the vertebrae get shifted from poor posture, repetitive stress or strain, or traumas like falls and whiplash, malpositions or misalignments can occur.

Some of the time the body corrects itself...but sometimes it does not.

What can be done to eliminate possible neck spine misalignments?

Use a good neck support pillow. A good pillow is one that puts your spine in its best position, which allows the spine and spinal cord to stay relaxed and keeps all of the nerves free from any blockage or interference.