The majority of joint manipulations aren’t risky however, one problem could lead to serious injuries.
The visit to the chiropractor is now an accepted aspect of medical care and is now a common practice, with around 15 percent of the population within the United States visiting one every year. While some critics say the practice has no scientific basis, chiropractic treatments provide many patients who require pain relief, and a large majority of them are performed without any incident.
However, due to the delicate nature of the spine and neck, particularly the vertebrae in the upper part of the neck, the results of injuries could be catastrophic. A specific injury arterial dissection, which blood vessels that transport cerebral blood to the heart damaged and swollen, is a matter of great risk. In certain instances patients, they may not be aware the injury occurred , and the damage will heal in its own time. In other cases an injury to the artery wall could result in a clot to form and lead to stroke, or even death.
It’s unclear how prevalent the condition is after chiropractic care — one estimate suggests that arterial dissections occur in just one of 1,000 neck manipulations. Another estimates it to be 1 in 5.8 million (three of the authors of that study were employed by chiropractic organizations).
Due to the seriousness of the injury there are many spine experts advise to be aware that chiropractic treatment of neck could be risky. Here’s the information you should be aware of when considering the treatment option for neck pain.
The dangers of manipulating the neck
Chiropractic manipulations require high-speed and low amplitude movement that are performed on the spine. “We use the joint to its limit and do one very swift push on that jointthis is the high-velocity component,” said William Lauretti Professor of integrated chiropractic treatments at the Northeast College of Health Sciences and a spokesperson of the American Chiropractic Association. “But we’re pushing it over the very, very limited distance — that’s the low intensity.”
The issue of arterial tears is a concern that’s specific to neck movements. The reason for this is that it is more flexible and , therefore, more prone to injury; the upper torso is shielded by the ribs, and the lower back isn’t as prone to rotation. The major arteries that carry blood from the brain to the heart are also accessed through neck vertebrae. This makes the blood vessels in this area more susceptible to injury.
“When you rotate your neck from side to side and the vessels rotate inside the bone” the Dr. Betsy Grunch, a neurosurgeon who is based within Gainesville, Ga. “If you move your head swiftly or turn it quickly, such as an accident in a car or manual manipulation, or sports the vessel could be quickly compressed.”
The most frequent signs that are associated with arterial dissection include headaches vertigo, dizziness and headaches as well as weakness, numbness, or paralysis on one side may be a sign of the condition.
In a highly-publicized incident last year, a doctoral student from Georgia Southern University named Caitlin Jensen was nauseated and dizzy after an chiropractor manipulating her neck. The chiropractor called 911 , and in the hospital, medical professionals found that Ms. Jensen had tears in four blood vessels. This resulted in a stroke and a cardiac arrest.
Nine months after her injury nine months later, nine months later. Jensen has just started to to speak again, but she can’t move or swallow. Her right side was crippled from the trauma, as was the vocal cords. The mother of the girl, Darlene Jensen, told The New York Times that her daughter is progressing in her healing, but it’s slow. “It’s extremely encouraging when we are having really great days and great therapies,” Darlene Jensen said. “But on other days, when she’s having a hard time with something it can be very difficult and emotional as she want to get her life back.”
It’s nearly impossible to figure out the frequency of cases similar to Caitlin Jensen’s is, since “there is no system of monitoring that can record these events,” Edzard Ernst, an Professor of complementary medicine who is emeritus in the University of Exeter in Britain said in an email. “Many patients file a lawsuit against the chiropractor and then settle the case out of the court. Many sufferers have a stroke and may not couple it to manipulative.” (Darlene Jensen stated that the insurance company that insured the chiropractor compensated the malpractice claim, but did not contest the claim.)
A study of more than fifty thousand cervical spine manipulations revealed that around 16 per 1,000 of them resulted in dizziness, fainting and lightheadedness. Researchers have also attempted to evaluate the possibility of risk by going backward by identifying people who had an arterial dissection, and then finding out if a significant percentage have had their necks adjusted by chiropractors. A small study showed the majority of dissections took place following a sport while 11 percent of them were caused by an chiropractic manipulation.
Numerous studies have found the risk of stroke and arterial dissection to be between three and 12 times greater in those who’ve had recent neck manipulation, as per an analysis of the American Heart Association’s Stroke Council.
For the Dr. Grunch, who treats only a couple of patients suffering from the same injury each year, the link is obvious: “Arterial dissection is a well-known complication of spinal manipulatives.” Therefore, even while the risk is not that high and not a lot of people are affected, it is recommended by Dr. Grunch strongly advises against manipulating your neck by chiropractors. chiropractor.
Doctor. Alan Hilibrand, the head for spine surgical procedures at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Philadelphia and the past president of the Cervical Spine Research Society, declared that “there’s no evidence” in the literature of science linking chiropractors with arterial dissections. However, he also said that “I’m extremely uncomfortable” about it and advised patients that manipulations of the neck could be risky.
Are chiropractors getting blamed for something wrong?
Many chiropractors contest the notion that their treatment are causing such harm. They point to research papers that show no link between neck manipulations or tears in the arterial artery and research that showed that patients who saw an primary care physician were equally likely to suffer strokes during the time after the appointment as those who visited the chiropractor.
In contrast, they claim, going to a chiropractor is often caused by an arterial dissection, and not the reason behind it.
“These sufferers have an arterial system that’s damaged in some way” leading to back pain as well as headaches the doctor. Lauretti explained. “Some patients see their primary care physician and others visit their chiropractor. If the patient suffers an attack of the brain following visiting the chiropractor then the chiropractor is blamed.”
If a patient visits an chiropractor for neck pain Dr. Lauretti explained that the doctor must perform an exhaustive exam to determine if there are any “red warning signs” prior to performing a neck manipulation.
In recognition of the risk to the neck In order to protect the neck from injury, certain chiropractors prefer a more cautious approach when treating the region. Philip Cordova, a chiropractor in Houston explained that in his clinic it is not recommended to turn the neck too far in order to limit the possibility of injury. Some patients tell the doctor, “‘I don’t want my neck adjusted’, and it’s not an issue,” Dr. Cordova stated. “We try to work around it.”
The risk of complications arising from chiropractic treatment of the other regions of the spine is minimal There is some evidence that chiropractic treatment is just similar to home exercises or physical therapy, as well as medication. This is why a lot of orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeonslike Dr. Grunch and Dr. Hilibrand are known to occasionally recommend patients to chiropractors for problems which aren’t directly related to the neck.
“I believe that incorporating chiropractic treatment as part of a plan for conservative treatment is completely appropriate,” Dr. Grunch stated.
The Dr. Hilibrand agreed. “I would not hesitate to refer patients to a doctor I am familiar with,” he said. “Many of them offer very high-quality medical care.”
What can you do about neck pain?
The results of chiropractic manipulations are extremely rare however, due to the potential for seriousness they may be advisable to stay clear of the procedure when you’re experiencing neck discomfort. There are a variety of alternative options to choose from.
The first treatment option the doctor. Hilibrand recommends is over-the-counter pain medication, paired along with physical therapy. “Eighty percent of people suffering from neck pain will be better in about six weeks using only two treatments,” he said.
If the pain continues the doctor. Hilibrand said you might think about other options such as acupuncture or a massage technique referred to by the name myofascial relaxation. You can also go to the chiropractor to receive gentler treatment with traction or manual therapy, that is less aggressive and more controlled movements and stretches. (In cases where there is spinal compression, however it is recommended to avoid chiropractors completely.) Injections of steroids can be effective in reducing inflammation and pain.
In certain instances surgical intervention may be necessary as a last option, however experts believe that noninvasive treatments are often able to solve the issue. “Most patients suffering from acute neck or back pain do not require the surgery procedure,” Dr. Grunch explained. “They require a well-designed healthy, balanced treatment plan that is conservative.”
We understand how important it is to choose a chiropractor that is right for you. It is our belief that educating our patients is a very important part of the success we see in our offices.
