Strokes have been big issue with older people who have arteriosclerosis. But younger people can also get strokes apart from any form of care whether it be chiropractic, acupuncture, or Western medicine. Take a look at some research done:br />br />1. Chiropractic and Stroke. Spine Journal Feb 2008.
This recent study investigated the associations between Chiropractic visits and the risk of stroke. The medical based study “found no evidence of risk of (stroke) associated with Chiropractic care compared to (family physician) care.”

2. Government of New Zealand.
The New Zealand Commission Report was published in 1979 and was the culmination of two years of interviews from health-care experts on the efficacy and safety of chiropractic. The government of New Zealand funded the study, which concluded that modern chiropractic is a “soundly-based and valuable branch of health care in a specialized area.” Do a search and you can find much more information.

A review of studies involving chiropractic adjustments and stroke

So why all the hoo-ha? It has to do with how people do their research whether they have enough samples or whether even the research is valid in the first place. Below is a letter of response from the Chiropractic Association of Singapore to these concerns. We have also included a video at the end with more information.

“Stroke risk after visiting chiropractor? Not true (From Straits Times)

WE refer to last Thursday’s article by The New York Times published by Mind Your Body, “Fact or fiction: Little risk of stroke from neck adjustments”. It was indeed fiction.

The author used a “survey of only 55 cases” from neurologists. Fortunately, recent scientific studies, in 2007, like The Neck Pain Task Force, came up with more definite facts on the matter.

The study - which analysed a total of 818 Vertebral Artery (VBA) strokes over the nine-year inception period in Ontario - concluded that VBA stroke is a very rare event and that the risk of VBA stroke associated with a visit to a chiropractor’s office appears to be no different from the risk of VBA stroke following a visit to a medical clinic.

“Our research has led us to believe that the association between VBA stroke and chiropractic care is likely due to patients with headache and/or neck pain from a VBA dissection seeking care in the prodrome of a stroke,” explained the study’s lead author, Dr David Cassidy, professor of epidemiology at the University of Toronto and senior scientist at the University Health Network at Toronto Western Hospital. In other words, the patients were already having the problem prior to visiting a physician.

“We found no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic care beyond that associated with primary physician care,” said Dr Cassidy. He added that these rare strokes have also been reported after ordinary neck movements such as looking up at the sky, turning the head while backing up a car and extending the neck into a hair salon’s wash basin.

Other researches have also shown that when certain studies were scrutinised, the practitioners performing the manipulation were actually not chiropractors.

Chiropractors are trained professionals with an evidence-based tertiary education; and belong to the only profession that specialises in spinal manipulation.

We are trained to do a thorough history and physical assessment to screen patients who might be at risk for the rare incidence of VBA stroke.

As an association, we ensure that all our members meet the international standards of education and are in good standing in their countries of origin and adhere to our code of ethics and practice guidelines.

To this end, we encourage the public to seek only those chiropractors who are members of The Chiropractic Association (Singapore). Our website: www.chiropractic.org.sg “

Bottomline, there is always some risk if you are prone to strokes, that is why taking initial x-rays is one of the basic chiropractic standard of care in the United States. Let the evidence help you to make your own decision.

Chiropractic safety Video- Let’s see the science!

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 14th, 2008 at 11:52 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Comments and pings are closed.

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