Chiropractic neck manipulation linked to stroke

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Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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Chiropractic neck manipulation linked to stroke

Controversy over chiropractic neck manipulation has re-emerged after the American Heart Association released a scientific statement that the practice may be associated with stroke.

The statement was released after a review of evidence on the diagnosis and management of cervical artery dissection (CD) and its association with cervical manipulative therapy (CMT).

“Patients should be informed of the statistical association between CD and cervical manipulative therapies CMT prior to undergoing manipulation of the cervical spine,” says the statement in the journal Stroke.

The techniques for cervical manipulation include a rotation of the neck and sometimes a forceful thrust, says author, Dr Jose Biller, chair of neurology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

Chiropractic neck manipulation linked to stroke | 6minutes
 

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Prickly Curmudgeon Smiter
Jun 28, 2010
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These powerful movements and rotary motions can make a small tear in the artery walls of the neck and it could coagulate the blood on a particular spot. These motions are also known as Cervical artery dissection. If this clot is not cleared out soon, then it can block a vessel in the brain without any trouble.Though not all the cervical manipulation is risky since every health expert has used a different technique. However, this cervical artery dissection is accountable for the majority of the stroke cases. A survey has shown that 8 percent to 25 percent of strokes happened in people below the age of 45 because of it.

Chiropractic Manipulation and Stroke Argyll Free Press