Understanding Your Nervous System in Grand Rapids, MI

The nervous system is your body’s communication network. It allows every part of your body to send and receive messages, and it helps you react to changes both inside and outside your body. These signals travel using tiny electrical impulses and special chemicals.

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, neurologists and primary care providers at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health commonly evaluate and treat conditions that affect the nervous system. Knowing the basics can help you recognize when to seek care.

Basic Building Blocks: Neurons

The main cells of the nervous system are called neurons (nerve cells). They come in many shapes and sizes, depending on where they are in the body and what they do, but they share some key features:

  • Dendrites – short, branch-like extensions that receive messages from other nerve cells
  • Axon – a long fiber that sends messages to other cells

Many axons are covered by a protective, insulating layer called the myelin sheath. This coating helps nerve signals travel quickly and efficiently. Damage to myelin, as seen in conditions like multiple sclerosis, can slow or block these signals.

At the end of the axon are small bumps or endings that sit very close to the dendrites of another neuron. The tiny gap between them is called a synapse.

How Nerve Messages Travel

Messages move from one neuron to the next by crossing the synapse using special chemicals called neurotransmitters. These chemicals are released from one nerve ending and picked up by the next cell, allowing the signal to continue.

Unlike many other cells in the body, neurons do not repair or replace themselves easily if they are damaged by injury, infection, or stroke. This is why serious brain or spinal cord injuries can cause long-term problems.

The Central Nervous System: Brain and Spinal Cord

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of:

  • The brain
  • The spinal cord

Both are wrapped in protective membranes called the meninges and surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which helps cushion and protect them.

The Brain

The brain is the control center of your body. Although it only makes up about 2% of your body weight, it contains billions of connections between nerve cells.

The brain:

  • Controls movement, speech, and sensation
  • Manages breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
  • Creates thoughts, memories, emotions, and personality

In Grand Rapids, advanced brain imaging and neurology services are available through major health systems such as Corewell Health (formerly Spectrum Health) and Trinity Health Grand Rapids.

The Spinal Cord

The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body and runs down the center of the back. It is protected by the bones of the spine, called vertebrae.

From the spinal cord, nerves branch out into the:

  • Arms
  • Legs
  • Chest and abdomen
  • Pelvis

These nerves carry messages between your brain and the rest of your body.

The Peripheral Nervous System

All the nerve tissue outside the brain and spinal cord is called the peripheral nervous system (PNS). These nerves:

  • Bring information from your eyes, ears, skin, and muscles to the central nervous system
  • Carry commands from the brain and spinal cord to your muscles and organs

The peripheral nervous system is divided into two main parts:

  • Autonomic nervous system
  • Somatic nervous system

Autonomic Nervous System: Automatic Body Control

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls body functions you do not have to think about. It regulates:

  • Heart rate
  • Blood pressure
  • Breathing
  • Digestion
  • Sweating
  • Pupil size
  • Many gland and organ functions

In Michigan’s changing seasons—from humid summers to icy winters in Grand Rapids—your autonomic nervous system helps your body adapt. For example, it increases sweating in the summer heat and constricts blood vessels in cold winter weather to preserve warmth.

Two Opposing Parts: Sympathetic and Parasympathetic

The autonomic nervous system has two main branches that usually act in opposite ways:

  1. Sympathetic nervous system – “fight or flight”

    • Prepares your body to respond to stress or danger
    • Increases heart rate and blood pressure
    • Widens airways to help you breathe more easily
    • Slows digestion so your body can focus on dealing with the threat

  2. Parasympathetic nervous system – “rest and digest”

    • Helps your body relax and recover
    • Slows heart rate
    • Stimulates digestion and nutrient absorption
    • Supports healing and energy storage

These two systems constantly balance each other to meet your body’s needs as you move through your environment—whether you’re driving on I‑196 in a snowstorm, walking along the Grand River, or exercising on a hot summer day.

Somatic Nervous System: Voluntary Movement and Sensation

The somatic nervous system is also part of the peripheral nervous system. It handles functions you can consciously control and much of what you feel from the outside world.

Key roles include:

  • Carrying information from your:
    • Eyes and ears
    • Skin (touch, temperature, pain)
    • Muscles and joints
      to the brain and spinal cord
  • Carrying commands from the central nervous system to your skeletal muscles, telling them to:
    • Contract (tighten)
    • Relax

This system lets you:

  • Walk, run, and exercise
  • Type on a keyboard
  • Drive in winter conditions on Grand Rapids roads
  • Perform fine movements like buttoning a shirt or playing an instrument

Common Nervous System Problems Seen in Grand Rapids

People in the Grand Rapids area experience the same major nervous system conditions seen across the U.S., with some additional influences from Michigan’s climate and aging population. Common nervous system problems include:

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a condition where bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain cause seizures.

Symptoms may include:

  • Shaking or jerking movements
  • Staring spells or brief loss of awareness
  • Confusion after an episode
  • Sudden falls

Neurologists at Grand Rapids hospitals and specialty clinics can diagnose epilepsy with tests like EEG and MRI and provide treatment plans including medications and, in some cases, surgery.

Meningitis

Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes (meninges) around the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria.

Symptoms can include:

  • Sudden high fever
  • Severe headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Sensitivity to light
  • Confusion or vomiting

Meningitis is a medical emergency. In Grand Rapids, emergency departments at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health are equipped to treat this condition. Vaccines, often available through the Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health programs, can help prevent some types of meningitis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is a disease where the immune system attacks the myelin sheath that covers nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord.

Possible symptoms:

  • Numbness or weakness in the limbs
  • Vision problems
  • Trouble with balance or coordination
  • Fatigue

MS is more common in cooler climates like Michigan and other Great Lakes states. Local neurology clinics in Grand Rapids offer specialized care, including disease-modifying therapies and rehabilitation.

Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition affecting movement due to changes in certain brain cells.

Symptoms include:

  • Shaking or tremor, often in the hands
  • Slowness of movement
  • Stiff muscles
  • Problems with balance or walking

Parkinson’s care in Grand Rapids often involves a team approach, including neurologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists.

Sciatica

Sciatica is pain caused by irritation or pressure on the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back down the leg. This can be due to:

  • A slipped (herniated) disc in the spine
  • Arthritis of the spine
  • Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
  • Muscle spasm or other structural problems

Symptoms can include:

  • Sharp, shooting pain down the leg
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Weakness in the leg or foot

Local orthopedic and spine clinics in Grand Rapids frequently treat sciatica with physical therapy, medications, injections, and sometimes surgery.

Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Shingles is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. It affects sensory nerves and the skin they supply.

Symptoms:

  • Pain, burning, or tingling on one side of the body
  • A stripe or patch of blisters on the skin
  • Long-lasting nerve pain (postherpetic neuralgia) in some people

Shingles is more common in older adults. Vaccination, available through many Grand Rapids pharmacies and clinics, can lower the risk and severity.

Stroke

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked (ischemic stroke) or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts (hemorrhagic stroke). Brain cells begin to die within minutes.

Symptoms usually come on suddenly and may include:

  • Weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg—especially on one side of the body
  • Trouble speaking or understanding speech
  • Vision loss in one or both eyes
  • Severe headache with no known cause
  • Dizziness, loss of balance, or trouble walking

Stroke is a major cause of disability in Michigan. Grand Rapids hospitals are designated stroke centers, offering rapid treatment such as clot-busting drugs and advanced procedures.

When to Get Help for Nervous System Symptoms

Call 911 immediately if you or someone else has:

  • Signs of stroke (sudden weakness, speech problems, facial droop)
  • A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, or repeated seizures
  • Sudden confusion, loss of consciousness, or severe headache
  • Symptoms of meningitis (fever, stiff neck, severe headache)

For non-emergency nervous system concerns—such as chronic headaches, numbness, tingling, memory changes, or ongoing back and leg pain��contact:

  • Your primary care provider in Grand Rapids
  • A neurologist or spine specialist at local health systems (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health)
  • Community health clinics or programs listed by the Kent County Health Department

Key Points About the Nervous System

  • The nervous system is made up of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (all other nerves).
  • The peripheral nervous system has two main parts:
    • Autonomic nervous system – regulates glands and organs automatically, without conscious effort.
    • Somatic nervous system – carries sensory information and controls voluntary muscle movement.
  • The autonomic system includes the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) branches, which act in opposite ways to keep your body in balance.
  • Common nervous system problems in Grand Rapids include epilepsy, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, sciatica, shingles, and stroke.
  • Symptoms can involve:
    • Shaking or tremors
    • Problems with movement or balance
    • Numbness, tingling, or weakness
    • Severe headache, fever, or confusion
  • Early evaluation by a healthcare professional in Grand Rapids can improve outcomes, especially for emergencies like stroke and meningitis.

If you live in the Grand Rapids, MI area and have questions about your nervous system health, talk with your doctor or contact local resources such as the Kent County Health Department for information on clinics, vaccinations, and community programs.