I think it’s safe to say that most of us have an Apple product at this point.  Even if you’re not an “Apple person” you’ve most likely heard of the term “iOS”. iOS is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices. Why am I talking about a mobile operating system you might be wondering, well because it draws a great parallel to our own human “operating system” aka your autonomic nervous system (ANS).  For the sake of this article, from here on out we are calling the autonomic nervous system your “aOS” - your body’s AUTOMATIC operating system.

The “aOS” plays an important role in the human body, controlling many of the body's automatic processes. Your “aOS” regulates a variety of body process that takes place without conscious effort. (Thank goodness it’s automatic, could you imagine if we had to remember to contract our heart to pump blood or remember to breathe in oxygen? Surely we wouldn’t make it.)

This system also helps prepare the body to cope with stress and threats, as well as returning the body to a resting state afterward. The autonomic nervous system is the part of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that is responsible for regulating muscle movement and activity as well as other involuntary body functions, including digestion.

Your “aOS” is further divided into three branches: the sympathetic system, the parasympathetic system, and the enteric nervous system.

* The sympathetic division of the “aOS” regulates the flight-or-fight responses. This division also performs such tasks as relaxing the bladder, speeding up heart rate, and dilating eye pupils.

* The parasympathetic division of the “aOS” helps maintain normal body functions and conserves physical resources. This division also performs such tasks as controlling the bladder, slowing down heart rate, and constricting eye pupils.

* The enteric nervous system is confined to the gastrointestinal tract. (Guess where a good portion of your immune system is located? Pssssttt, it’s your gut.) So our “aOS” regulates part of our immune function as well.

The autonomic nervous system operates by receiving information from the environment and from other parts of the body. The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems tend to have opposing actions in which one system will stimulate a response where the other will inhibit it.

Today, the sympathetic system is viewed as a quickly responding system that mobilizes the body for action where the parasympathetic system is believed to act much more slowly to dampen responses. If, for example, you are facing a threat and need to flee, the sympathetic system will quickly mobilize your body to take action. Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic system will then start to dampen these responses, slowly returning your body to its normal, resting state.  When you’re ready to have a snack as there is no longer any eminent danger, the enteric nervous system can help with that.

So why are we talking about all of this?

What does any of this have to do with chiropractic (you might be wondering?)

Well, put quite simply - structural shifts of the spine can create obstructions within your “aOS”. An obstructions anywhere within your automatic operating system could result in a communication issue between the brain, the body’s automatic operating system “aOS”, and even the immune system. A glitch in this vital communication network can negatively impact your overall health and ADAPTABILITY, which is likely to increase vulnerability to various health issues.

How do you know if you have any “glitches” in your automatic operating system “aOS?”  In our office we measure it!  Since the “aOS” regulates skin temperature (on your back), muscle activity and heart rate variability, we have specialty scanning software to see how well you’re doing aka how adaptable you are as a human. (The goal is of course to observe and measure improvements down the road.) In general, the automatic operating system can be assessed indirectly via various non-invasive markers of autonomic mediated physiology, such as skin conductance  and heart rate variability.

Here are some examples of the various tests and reports that we use in our office to assess how well your “aOS” is running:

Pretty cool right, yeah we know.  So why go through “all of this” just because you have headaches, neck pain or back pain? Our focus of structural correction approaches those problems with a bigger lens. By looking for signs of stress/lack of neurological “reserves” in the automatic operating system, we can better understand the implications your complaint has on your overall health and function. 

It’s not all about how you’re feeling. That’s important, however how you function and how well your “aOS” can run without glitches is a better goal to have (I know we are biased). As the structural shifts are reduced, we see better outcomes with how well your “aOS” is running and we can show you that with the technology we use in the office. 

It’s a win, win.  

References:

1. Bankenahally R, Krovvidi H. Autonomic nervous system: anatomy, physiology, and relevance in anaesthesia and critical care medicine. BJA Education. 2016;16(11):381-387. doi:10.1093/bjaed/mkw011

2. McCorry LK. Physiology of the Autonomic Nervous System. Am J Pharm Educ. 2007;71(4):78. doi:10.5688/aj710478

3. Bach DR, Friston KJ, Dolan RJ. Analytic measures for quantification of arousal from spontaneous skin conductance fluctuations. Int J Psychophysiol. 2010;76(1):52–5.

4. Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and the North American Society of Pacing and Electrophysiology. Circulation. 1996;93(5):1043–65.

5. Amoroso Borges BL, Bortolazzo GL, Neto HP. Effects of spinal manipulation and myofascial techniques on heart rate variability: a systematic review. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2018;22(1):203–8