What are the Different Types of Chiropractic Strokes?

A variety of stroke injuries may occur after a chiropractor manipulates a patient’s neck. All of the injuries can be serious and disabling. In most instances the patient may not realize an injury has occurred when he or she leaves the chiropractor’s office. Hours, days and sometimes even weeks may pass after a chiropractic neck adjustment before the patient suffers the devastating effects of a stroke.

The lawyers at the Abelson Law Firm take a special interest in strokes caused by chiropractic neck adjustment. We represent patients who have been seriously injured by chiropractors’ negligence. If you or a loved one has experienced stroke symptoms after a chiropractic neck manipulation, it’s important that you talk to a lawyer experienced in handling chiropractic strokes. Please contact us for a free evaluation  by calling 1-888-797-4242 or use our online form.

Chiropractic neck adjustments are of  little to no medical or scientific benefit, especially  given the serious and under-recognized risks they pose. Vital arteries pass through the upper vertebrae of the neck into the brain stem. Injuries to arteries that carry blood to the brain can cause clots or blockages leading to a stroke hours, days or even weeks after the neck adjustment. The types of strokes that can occur can be devastating and deadly. They include:

• Cerebellum Strokes — The cerebellum, located above the brain stem, controls many reflexes and body movements including our balance and coordination. After a chiropractic neck adjustment, a blood clot from an injured artery can move to this area of the brain, producing a stroke. A stroke that occurs in the cerebellum can cause abnormal reflexes, coordination and balance problems, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
• Visual Strokes — Vision loss can be both a symptom and a result of stroke. A patient may notice mild visual changes after a chiropractic neck adjustment or lose their peripheral vision. Damage to the artery may cause a blood clot that causes a blockage in the area of the brain involved with vision. The majority of visual processing occurs in the occipital lobe that is located in the back of the brain. Typically, a stroke occurs in one side of the brain.
• Carotid Artery Strokes—The carotid arteries located on the front of the neck are major arteries that carry blood to the brain. A sudden chiropractic rotation or thrust can cause an injury to the carotid artery, leading to a stroke. 
• Brain stem Strokes – A brain stem stroke can be more devastating than other types of strokes. The brain stem, the lowest part of the brain, controls many non-voluntary life support functions including breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, speech and body movement. The vertebral artery supplies blood to the brain stem. A brain stem stroke may lead to paralysis or damage to areas that control breathing or alertness.

Neck manipulation most commonly causes strokes in the back part of the brain, affecting basic function such as walking, swallowing and speaking. Whatever part of the brain is affected by a stroke, the complications can be serious. You are likely facing months of medical expenses and physical therapy to recover.

The incidence of chiropractic induced strokes is underreported because most people who suffer a stroke don’t link it to the visit to a chiropractor. The patient may suffer the stroke days after the chiropractic adjustment and does not make the connection. Family members of a stroke victim may have no idea that the patient had recently been manipulated by a chiropractor. The medical literature is clear that chiropractic neck adjustments pose serious risks of stroke.

The Abelson Law Firm works with a physician who will help determine the extent of your injuries due to chiropractic manipulation, and the care you will require over a lifetime.

If you or a loved one has suffered a stroke after a chiropractic neck adjustment, contact an attorney with experience in chiropractic malpractice. The Abelson Law Firm has offices in Washington, D.C.  and takes cases of chiropractic malpractice from across the country. We focus on chiropractic malpractice because we care about chiropractic stroke victims. For a free consultation, call 1-888-797-4242 or fill out our online form.