Now we can look at what we call Secondary Conditions or symptoms. The reason we use the term Secondary Conditions is because they are a result of a Primary Condition or underlying cause.
As we show in the picture above, when the head moves anterior (forward), there is a great amount of stress on the nerves that exit the spine and can cause a list of Secondary Conditions. Think of the spine as a simple garden hose. Even when the spigot is turned fully open, if there are blockages or kinks in the hose, what would you expect out of the nozzle at the end? What would you expect to happen if a spinal segment shifted and put pressure on a nerve?
In our example above, when there are segments that shift beyond what is considered normal, this will create a continuous strain on the muscles, ligaments, and tendons primarily in the neck and upper back, but also down in the middle and lower areas of the torso. What about segmental shifts in the mid-back and low-back? They also can put unnecessary strain on the tissues and nerves and cause a laundry list of problems. We are by no means saying that a segmental shift is the only cause of these Secondary Conditions. However, if you have a segmental shift, it can result in one or more of the Secondary Conditions shown in the picture above.
