Throughout the years the media has been making a big deal about Chiropractic adjustments and possibly causing strokes. However the research shows that it is very safe and questionable if there is any link to Chiropractic adjustments and strokes at all.

In a recent study done in 2014 it shows that there really is very little to be concerned about. For those who would like to read the paper, here is a link to it.

Let’s have a closer look.

The participants in the study ranged age 66 to 99, which is assumed to have a higher rate of stroke in the general population.

The study included a range of strokes instead of only vertebrobasilar strokes claimed to be associated with spinal adjustments. This means that the majority of the strokes that happened were from other causes.

From the conclusion it says: “Among Medicare B beneficiaries aged 66 to 99 years with neck pain, the incidence of vertebrobasilar stroke was too low to allow further analysis. Chiropractic cervical spine manipulation is unlikely to cause stroke in patients aged 66 to 99 years with neck pain.”

When comparing some of the direct data there is no significant difference between patients seeing a primary care practitioner and a Chiropractor when it came to strokes in general. The participants of the Chiropractic group had on average 10 visits in the 30 day period of the study versus 2 visits with the primary care practitioner.

According to WebMD there are many cases where it isn’t necessary to even discuss stroke with a patient.

So rest assured, the chances of having a stroke is extremely low.

Reference
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2015 Feb;38(2):93-101. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.12.001. Epub 2015 Jan 14.
Risk of stroke after chiropractic spinal manipulation in medicare B beneficiaries aged 66 to 99 years with neck pain.
Whedon JM, Song Y, Mackenzie TA, Phillips RB, Lukovits TG, Lurie JD