Vertebrobasilar Stroke Caused by Chiropractic Manipulation: The Symptoms

June 9, 1992 is a day I will never forget. It is the day I almost died. It is the day after my neck was adjusted by a chiropractor, dissecting my vertebral artery and causing me to have a stroke. This is the story of my survival.

The day was like any other for me and my boyfriend. We had spent the day working and were looking forward to dinner. I was scheduled to see a chiropractor for the last time, following a series of neck manipulations for neck pain. I felt great and didn't want to make the 30 minute drive north, but my boyfriend said he would go with me. We didn't want to cancel on the chiropractor at the last minute. I didn't realize I would soon be experiencing severe stroke symptoms that my chiropractor would not recognize as symptomatic of a vertebrobasilar stroke.

Several months prior, I had been involved in a car accident and been experiencing some minor neck pain. Our friend, the chiropractor, suggested I pay him a few visits to his chiropractic office. Although leery, I decided to give it a try. After a series of neck manipulations, he suggested a final visit.

My initial stroke symptoms following the chiropractic manipulation
On this occasion, the manipulation to my neck felt different. It felt spongy for lack of a better word. After the manipulation, I was placed on a table with rollers. As I lay there, I developed a severe headache. When I say severe, I mean this was a headache unlike I had ever experienced. When the chiropractor came back, I told him about my headache. Upon standing, I was immediately dizzy. He walked me back to the exam room and re-adjusted my neck.

Walking to the waiting room, I had difficulty walking straight and was becoming nauseous from the severity of the headache. My boyfriend took one look at me and knew something was terribly wrong. We questioned the chiropractor again and were told that dizziness and headaches sometime occurs after neck manipulation. He gave us his cell phone, told me to take a few Tylenol and call him if anything changed. Literally.

Continuing stroke symptoms following the chiropractic manipulation
Once home, my status deteriorated. The symptoms of vertebrobasilar stroke that were occurring were visual disturbances, severe headache, dizziness and nauseousness. I took Tylenol and lay on the couch praying for the pain to subside. We called the chiropractor three times that evening. He continued to be unconcerned. Never was I advised to seek medical attention. My chiropractor was unaware of stroke symptoms immediately following chiropractic manipulation.

It might seem odd that I would not consider going to the emergency room at this point. Honestly, I thought I had a pinched nerve caused by the chiropractor's manipulation. I had just turned 30 the prior month. I was physically fit and active and the thought that I was having a stroke never crossed my mind. Surprisingly, it never crossed the mind of the chiropractor either.

Worsening stroke symptoms following the chiropractic manipulation
My boyfriend, concerned for my welfare, decided to stay to watch over me. I began to wonder why he would use his electric razor to shave at night because I heard this loud, buzzing, electrical sound. Suddenly, my vision inverted and I could only see jagged horizontal lines and it felt as though a knife had been plunged into my skull. The sound and disturbed vision passed, but the headache did not.

The next day would be busy at work and I tried to sleep. Unfortunately, when the alarm went off, we both realized I would not be attending work anytime soon. When I attempted to stand up, I fell to the ground. When I tried to speak, my words slurred. Calling my parents quickly, my boyfriend told them to meet us at the ER. We placed a final call to the chiropractor who told us the neurologist's office opened at 9:00. Now, my boyfriend was as speechless as I, but he managed to inform him we were headed to the emergency room without hesitation.

I am fortunate that a neurologist was contacted that knew more than my chiropractor about the incidence of vertebrobasilar stroke following chiropractic neck manipulation. To read more about my survival following a vertebrobasilar stroke caused by chiropractic manipulation, see my articles entitled Vertebrobasilar Stroke Caused by Chiropractic Manipulation: The Diagnosis and Treatment and
Vertebrobasilar Stroke Caused by Chiropractic Manipulation: The Recovery

You need to know the symptoms of a stroke. Essentially, a stroke is a "brain attack" caused by disease or damage to arteries leading to and within the brain. Stroke is the 3d leading cause of death in the United States. The warning signs of stroke are:

1. Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

2. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination

3. Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes

4. Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

As you can see, I exhibited every single one of these symptoms. Had I been aware of these symptoms, I could have been treated earlier and experienced far fewer after effects of the stroke. Had my chiropractor been aware of the symptoms of stroke, even if he was not aware that it is not uncommon for stroke to occur as a result of chiropractic neck manipulation, I would have received treatment much earlier. If you experience any of these stroke symptoms, do not wait! Call 9-1-1 immediately.

Sources:

Personal Experience

Vertebrobasilar Stroke Caused by Chiropractic Manipulation: The Diagnosis and Treatment

Vertebrobasilar Stroke Caused by Chiropractic Manipulation: The Recovery

American Stoke Association symptoms list