The Livermore Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Livermore

Barking Dog Syndrome

Headaches and neck pain image.

Many new patients ask us why we examine their lower back, when their problem is in their neck and shoulders. Two words: compensation reactions.

While it's tempting to think of regional parts of the spine, it must be viewed in its entirety.

Your body is constantly adapting to the force of gravity. Just as a house foundation that settles produces ceiling cracks and doors and windows that don’t open and close properly, your spine does the same thing. Problems in the pelvis, knees, ankles and feet can often show up as problems in the neck. But the actual problem occurs with the foundation of the spine.

This is based on the principle of equilibrium. If you were to tilt your head to the right, you could only maintain your head this way for a while before your body would curve some other area of your spine to support your head.

We refer to this as the barking dog syndrome. If you accidentally step on a dog's tail, it will bark. The symptom (the bark) comes out of its mouth, but the problem is with your foot on its tail! To alleviate the symptom, you have to address the cause.

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Dr. Alexander Asks some important questions of interest to Livermore residents - Chiropractor Livermore Dr. Alexander Asks...

Can someone who has had back surgery receive chiropractic care?
Yes. Rest assured that we will avoid the surgically modified areas of your spine. However, what we find is that surgical interventions will often produce spinal instability above or below the involved level. This is will be the focus of your chiropractic care.
Where do most Livermore residents get their first vertebral subluxation?
Being born in a hospital is a common source of vertebral subluxation. Trauma from forceps delivery has been replaced with drugs, vacuum extraction, Cesarean section and births that are "scheduled" to fit the workweek routines of Ob-Gyns. That's why we recommend a chiropractic checkup for every Livermore newborn.