Strokes caused by arterial dissection of the cervical (neck) arteries are a very rare condition occurring in 2-3 persons per 100,000 population per year. As this condition often produces neck pain and headache, many times people will consult their health care providers, including chiropractors, for advice or care in response to the discomfort.
Research published in 2016 by a team of neurosurgeons at Penn State University’s Hershey Medical Center exploring this question concluded, “There is no convincing evidence to support a causal link between chiropractic manipulation and CAD.” (Cervical Artery Dissection). Two other articles (from many) that come to similar conclusions were done in 2008 and 2015 and can be read by clicking the links respectively, or below.
With respect to the safety of neck manipulation / adjustment, it’s important to understand there are risks and benefits to all forms of care; however, the best available evidence indicates there is no causal relationship between neck manipulation and stroke. Millions of neck manipulations are performed safely in the U.S. every year, providing people from corrections of vertebral subluxations as well as common forms of neck pain and headache; and helping them to get back to their normal activities. Chiropractic doctors are able to boast that they pay very low malpractice premiums compared to other healthcare professions. Many pay less than your auto insurance for an entire year of insurance!
Regarding the very sad and tragic passing of model Katie May, there is still a pending investigation regarding the accuracy of the coroner’s findings and report. Ms. May visited her chiropractor after experiencing an injury during a photo shoot and suffering from severe neck pain. The type of stroke that Ms. May suffered from can also be referred to as Bow Hunter’s Stroke. Think about the head position of a person shooting a bow and arrow; the extreme turn of the head and the angle. Those movements can create a compressed force on the vertebral artery and lead to a stroke. Now think about various modeling positions that a person would be in during a photo shoot. Just because Ms. May had a chiropractic adjustment and suffered from a stroke does not create a causal relationship… only a timely one.
The chiropractic profession takes this issue very seriously and engages in training and postgraduate education courses to recognize the risk factors in patients, and to continue rendering treatment in the most effective and responsible manner.
(Click images below to read the full articles)
This article was written with information from the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, the American Chiropractic Association and the California Chiropractic Association.