Chiropractic Manipulation of the Neck and Cervical Artery Dissection

Abstract

Letters17 July 2012Chiropractic Manipulation of the Neck and Cervical Artery DissectionRaymond E. Bertino, MD, Arun V. Talkad, MD, Jeffrey R. DeSanto, MD, Jane H. Maksimovic, DO, and Shyam G. Patel, MDRaymond E. Bertino, MDFrom University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61637.Search for more papers by this author, Arun V. Talkad, MDFrom University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61637.Search for more papers by this author, Jeffrey R. DeSanto, MDFrom University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61637.Search for more papers by this author, Jane H. Maksimovic, DOFrom University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61637.Search for more papers by this author, and Shyam G. Patel, MDFrom University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL 61637.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-157-2-201207170-00023 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Background: Chiropractic manipulation of the neck can cause cervical artery dissection and stroke, although the incidence of these complications is unknown (1–4). Patients younger than 45 years with vertebral artery dissection and stroke are 5 times more likely to have visited a chiropractor in the previous 30 days than an age-matched control group (1).Case Report: In mid-March 2012, a 37-year-old registered nurse with a history of chronic neck pain went to her chiropractor. She had seen the same chiropractor for 12 to 15 years, usually going once a month for cervical spine manipulation. Because of a new symptom (pain ...