Directions:
To help you
understand the nervous system better, here are a few definitions to get you
started.
Neurons- Nerve
cells which transmit nerve impulses
Spinal cord-
Cylinder of nervous tissue that begins at base of skull and extends down to
lumbar area
Brain- The basic
receiver and transmitter for all nerve impulses
Central Nervous
System (CNS)- Includes brain and spinal cord, lie in midline of body
Peripheral
Nervous System (PNS)- Includes all cranial and spinal nerves, outward of
central midline
Specifications:
The main organs
in the nervous system would include the spinal cord, the peripheral nervous
system, and last but not least the most important part of it all is the brain.
The spinal cord
stretches from the bottom of the skull to the bottom of the hips.
Your body has many different sensory fibers but it only comes equipped with one spinal cord and brain.
It is of the
utmost importance that you remember to take very good care of your spinal cord
and brain because there are no replacements for them.
The peripheral
nervous system is very important to the body but it can replace cells that have
acquired minimal damage.
The spinal cord
is a very dangerous area because it is not protected well by the skin and is a
very easy target to damage.
KNOW THAT IF
YOU DAMAGE THE SPINAL CORD OR BRAIN YOU COULD CRIPPLE YOUR BODY, which leads us
to our next subject which isÉ
Warnings and dangers:
This subject is
extremely important because the nervous system is the most important and
sensitive portion of the body.
One thing you
must always make sure to do is never put weight directly on your back because
the spinal cord is only protected by the thin layers of your skin.
The spinal cord
is so close to the outside of the body that it can be visible in certain
positions.
The spinal cord
has very little support so impacts are a something that must be avoided or
nerves could be detached from the spinal cord.
The brain may
be protected by the skull but that does not mean that it cannot be damaged.
The brain has
many different nerves from all over the body attached to it so even the
slightest bump to it could cripple portions of the body.
The brain is
different from the spinal cord because it has the ability to bleed which makes
it even more dangerous to damage.
Know that if
nerves become detached from the spinal cord or the brain they can only be fixed
with surgery and even that is a highly dangerous procedure.
Operation:
Main functions
of the Nervous system are:
1. Communication!- Your body contains thousands of nerve
receptors that react and send messages to your brain. These receptors are in your hands, feet, face and all over
your body. They react almost
instantly and send messages to your brain within milliseconds. When you touch something hot, you
automatically pull your hand away.
That is the receptors working! If you experience no sensation in any
area on your body, your nerves may not be working and you must see a
doctor. Possible problems with
this may include pinched nerves, a disease or sickness, and this may possibly
lead to permanent loss of feeling in some areas.
2. Sensory input/Motor output- Sensory receptors allow organs to
respond to stimuli and muscles and glands are able to contract and function
because of motor output.
Safety Instructions
and Maintenance:
In order to keep
your nervous system in top condition, there are some measures you can
take.
¤
If you start
to experience numbing sensations in any part of your body, this may be a sign of paralization! Paralization
can occur from many different things including sports injuries, head injuries,
and possibly even a more serious disease or condition.
¤
Keep Away
from FIRE or anything else that can do major damage to your sensory
receptors! Automatic impulses
react when you touch something hot, but if you decided to keep your hand on a
hot stove, you will damage your receptors in your fingers!
¤
DonŐt forget
to stretch before all physical activity! If you accidentally get a concussion,
break something, or knock something out of place, nerves can be damaged.
Sometimes there is no fixing the damaged nerves or receptors. A head injury could potentially cause
brain damage, and the brain being the central communicator, that could cause
paralization for life. DonŐt be
stupid!
Automatic System
Check:
For the most
part, the body does all of the work in the nervous system. Constantly, nerves and receptors are
working to perform all of the action that you are doing right now. If something comes towards your face,
you automatically blink to try and keep it out.
If a problem
does occur, the brain may send the wrong messages to parts of your body.
Numbing may occur in places in order to inform you of a problem. Some diseases take time to progress,
but major diseases with the nervous system can be nasty, and many times,
deadly.
A few major diseases of the nervous system include:
Alzheimer Disease: This
is a disorder determined by a gradual loss of reason that starts with memory
lapses and concludes in the inability to perform simple, everyday tasks. Suffers often forget names easily. They forget times and dates often, and
usually recall on the past as being the present. Some patients get to the point where they repeat the same
phrase or question over and over, and eventually they cannot even talk words
that make sense. This disease hurts
families of suffers emotionally.
Alzheimers is caused by the presence of abnormally structured neurons.
Multiple
Sclerosis: This disease is very unpredictable
because it can range from somewhat disabling to devastating because
communication between the brain and other parts of the body can be
disrupted. MS is thought to be a
autoimmune disease which is when your body launches an attack against its own
tissues and ends up destroying itself.
It is unknown to why MS is may be started but it is believed to be
caused by an unknown environmental trigger such as a virus. MS is an extremely bad symptom to
obtain because there is still no known treatment for it.
Roadside
Assistance:
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
1-800-344-4867
225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17,
Chicago, IL 60601
1.800.272.3900
Brain Matters Treatment Center
Brain Matters Treatment Centers
3773 Cherry Creek North Drive
Suite 145
Denver, CO 80209
(877)406-0650