Chiropractic stroke

Interesting search phrase brought someone to the Sciencebase site:

“for how long should you be watching out for a stroke after a cheiro practioner aligns your neck?”

Spelling and grammar aside, I presume the visitor was concerned about the problem of cerebral stroke that has been known to occur following manipulation of neck vertebra by a chiropractic where damage to the carotid arteries that carry blood to the brain can occur.

A recent study by American neurosurgeons reported in The Guardian adds to evidence suggesting chiropractic can damage arteries supplying the brain. The NHS CHoices site provided by the UK’s National Health Service points out that “Serious complications that have been linked to spinal manipulation include: tearing of an artery wall, leading to stroke injury to the spinal column, leading to paralysis build-up of blood between the skull and the outer layers of the brain, which can result in coma or death.”

Don’t let any bone-cruncher near your neck…or any other bits of you. None of these “alternative” manipulation techniques are supported by scientific evidence. Remember, anecdote is not evidence, some people see practitioners and quacks and claim miraculous recovery…there is a vague chance that something a quack does has an effect, but more likely is that they were going to recover anyway, given time. Reversion to the mean.