Chiropractor's Can Cause Strokes

[magnolia]

I have learned SO much from reading these boards. I just thought I would share this. Now I have no axe to grind and I merely want to provide information. This is a very little known fact and I just think it should be known. What you choose to do with the information is up to each individual. I am not trying to convince anyone of anything - I just want people to be informed.

Neck manipulations can cause strokes. It is rare (1 in 40,000 to a million depending on source). I understand that chiropractors also help people TREMENDOUSLY and some people aren't sure where they would be without them. My Dad included. So obviously with the low risk weighed against the benefit many receive, the decision for some is a no-brainer. Be that as it may, there is a risk there.

It happened to me. I was two days from my wedding when a routine (nothing out of the ordinary whatsoever) adjustment caused a life threatening stroke. I have absolutely no hereditary history of strokes. I wound up in ICU for a month - told I would probably never walk again. (for more of the story see http://healrachel.com/ and then to see the first entry [day after it happened] click on the arrow next to 2007 and that will uncollapse that year, then click on the word Sept. and scroll to the bottom of the page for the first entry).

Like I said I do not hate chiro's and I realize that I am a rare case. Just informing. An interesting website on this: http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chirostroke.html

[MommyRose]

Rachel, thank you for posting this. You answered my questions quite well. The dangers are good to know and quite frightening at the same time.

Your story is so amazing! I'm so pleased for you that you are on the better side of that experience. I enjoyed reading your blog. You had so much love surrounding you! :)

Hugs and prayers for your continuing improvement! :balloon:

[pamelaw]

Neck adjustments can also cause frequent scarring on those major blood vessels that over time become very dangerous. My own chiro said it's from adjustments that are done from a certain angle and are improper. Still and all, those nicks do scare me. I think I'll stick with the activator.

[Rachelle]

wow.
and now you are a happily married mommy! to God be the glory!

[WendyD]

Incredible story! Thanks for the warning. I'm so sorry that this happened to you, but so happy things are going great. Your baby is so precious!!!!

Hugs

[VioletSky]

Dear Rachel,

Thank you so much for posting this. Thank you for taking what happened to you and turning it into an opportunity to help others.

Hugs {{{{{Rachel}}}}},
Violet

[Melissa52]

Rachel, I really appreciate your post!

I read the link you posted from quackwatch. Very scary!
I've gone to chiropractors for the last 34 years, and many times I have wondered about the possibility of strokes. A few years ago, my nephew, who is a Physical Therapist, talked to me about it, and warned me. He was very serious and stern in warning me of the possible dangers. But I resisted, thinking it has never happened to me or anyone I know. And yet, every single time I have my neck adjusted, I say a quick prayer, and then evaluate how I feel afterward. Then I feel relief that all is OK. Neck adjustments have helped me so much, and yet, are they worth the possible consequences? I am now convinced, through your story, that it is definitely not worth it!

Reading about your story has brought my nephew's warning to reality, and I decided today that I will not have my neck adjusted in such a way again.
I admire your courage and your perseverance so much! I will pray for your continued healing and progress.

[Melissa52]

Neck adjustments can also cause frequent scarring on those major blood vessels that over time become very dangerous. My own chiro said it's from adjustments that are done from a certain angle and are improper. Still and all, those nicks do scare me. I think I'll stick with the activator.

I read your post and wondered...do you get good results with the activator method? And is there any risk involved, as with typical chiropractic neck adjustments?

[pamelaw]

Actually, I do. IT takes more of them to equal the adjustment of a manual, but it is so much safer. And I do feel relief right away as well.

[gillmings]

I'm not sure what a "typical" adjustment would be. I've been adjusted by 5 different chiropractors over the last 15 years and one D.O. who was very experienced in osteopathic manipulation therapy. Each one was different, even between those using manual techniques. They each have their own "style", I guess. While I prefer the way an activator adjustment feels DURING THE ADJUSTMENT, I'm not sure it has served me the best in the long run. The D.O. was actually my favorite. She would barely, and gently, turn my neck to each side and get all the "pops" all the way up; no jerking or anything.

Due to a bad auto accident 25 years ago and going for several years without addressing my spinal subluxations, I ended up with a totally forward leaning neck posture. Despite years of chiro treatment with different practitioners, depending on where I was living, I recently found out it's even worse. Now, I've had periods of more intensive adjustment schedules and long periods when it was only periodic, but I hadn't had new x-rays and because I felt better, I thought it was "fixed". Recent x-rays show degeneration and some bone spurring.

I've decided to go with a chiro who has a more aggressive treatment protocol which includes the "jerking"-type neck adjustments 3 days a week, along with an intensive daily traction and physical therapy program with headweights at home. We prayed as a family to make the right decision about starting on this treatment plan and feel good about the decision, but I also say a prayer before each adjustment and do everything I can to prepare my spine and muscles beforehand with PBS, my Chi Machine and FarInfraRed heat, plus arnica and arnica gel, and I am being very focused with making sure I do the therapy every day.

I really think it probably comes down to competence on the part of the chiro more than anything. You can probably have someone who could really screw things up with an activator just as much as you could have someone who uses a really sharp manual adjustment which is exactly correct and causes no injury. You really have to do your homework and go with your gut. It's not how much you like the practitioner as a person, but more whether you feel safe in their hands -- literally!

My son's functional scoliosis has gotten worse with the "gentle" chiropractic care he was been recieving over the past year and a half, and now has a forward neck posture and hip that is rotated out 2 inches. Our new chiro has a track record of correcting these conditions in a very short period of time, so we're going to see how it goes. I think you also have to weigh the possible negative outcomes of both sides. Right now, I think we have a competent chiro and the risks of NOT correcting the problems far outweigh risks of treatment. I know what a tough decision it can be.

I am so sorry for those who have had bad experiences with any type of physical therapy. I had a neighbor once whose friend died as a result of a chiro adjustment gone wrong. I think these incidents should be reminders to us to make sure we choose our providers wisely and don't forget to reevaluate things as times goes by, rather than decide they're too dangerous in general and be afraid to use their services. By and large, I believe chiros have a much lower incidence of injury to their patients than M.D.'s, when you factor in drugs and everything.

[magnolia]

I definitely think chiro's have a much lower incident of injury than M.D.'s and I definitely think the benifits outweigh the risk in a lot of cases. I think you should be seeing improvement though and periodically re-evaluate. He had me seeing him 3x a week and what I was trying to fix was seaonal hayfever. No injury or accident. Of course hindsight is 20/20. I was really hopeful to find a solution for these red, itchy eyes as my wedding was to be outdoors in September and I really did not want an allergy attack! So in my case, the risk (though I was unaware of there even being one) definitely did not outweigh any benefit I might have received! And no, the adjustments had not helped my allergies whatsoever, but I believed that surely they would as the chiro had said...