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Pain in your neck or back from injury or a disorder can make getting through simple tasks like walking or driving a car a challenge, and may even keep you from working. The spine is the main structure for your body, providing support and flexibility that allows you to move, turn, sit, stand, twist, stretch and bend over. It extends from the base of your skull to the tip of your tailbone and is a complicated series of bones, discs, muscles, nerves and ligaments divided into three main areas: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. The cervical spine is the neck region and contains the first seven spinal bones, or vertebrae. The vertebrae in the cervical spine protect nerves and the spinal cord, support your skull, and give you the ability to move your head.
The thoracic area is at the same level as your chest and has 12 vertebrae which connect to the ribs, helping protect vital organs. The lumbar is the lower part of the spine with five vertebrae, the largest and strongest in the spine because they carry the majority of your body's weight. The nerves located in the lumbar area of the spine make it possible for your legs and feet to feel and move.
Because the spine is a complex arrangement of bones, muscles, ligaments and nerves, successfully diagnosing and treating neck, back and spine conditions requires specialized knowledge and training. Orthopedics is the area of medicine specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of bone, joint, tissue and nerve disorders, including those in the neck and spine. The specialists at VOA Spine Services offer expertise in neurosurgery, occupational medicine, electrodiagnostic and nerve conduction studies, and spine surgery.
If you are currently living with a neck, back or spine condition, talk with your primary care physician about a referral to VOA Spine Services or call VOA at 425-656-5060. Additional Resources:
The Spine Center at Valley Medical Center
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
NeckSurgery
North American Spine Society
Spine-Health
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Spine Services 
