Okay, so you’ve got some back pain. What’s the first thing that pops into your mind? If you’re like most people, you probably think about a visit to the chiropractor. But is chiropractic care actually safe?
Did you know that chiropractic manipulation of the neck is actually quite dangerous? There are certain plaque deposits and small blood clots that form naturally in your neck, and it is possible for chiropractic adjustments to loosen those. If they get released into the blood stream, these plaque deposits or blood clots can travel up to your brain and cause a stroke, serious disability, or even death.
In fact, a study conducted in Switzerland, showed that 1 in every 400,000 chiropractic patients suffer a stroke. That may not sound like much, but when you compare that to the overall average of stroke incidence (only 1 in 1,500,000) it is quite shocking. If you see a chiropractor, you may be nearly quadrupling your risk of a stroke. Is back pain relief worth that risk?
It is important to know as well that chiropractors are not medical doctors. Surprisingly a lot of people do not realize this. Chiropractors are trained in their own way, however, it is to understand that they do not have the same basic training and schooling that a medical doctor would have.
Many people may visit a chiropractor complaining of numbness or pain in their back, neck, or hips. The chiropractor examines the patient and many times will recommend that the patient be treated with chiropractic manipulation. However, often times the diagnosis from the chiropractor is completely wrong and might even overlook obvious conditions that even a first year medical or nursing student could diagnose.
This causes people that in some instances may be at risk for serious medical diseases to put off proper medical treatment or delay it until the condition worsens. Unfortunately, many people place the trust of their medical health in the hands of someone who is not a medical doctor.
This is incredibly dangerous. Spinal adjustments can help to correct certain problems, but you should always seek medical attention first from a medical doctor to rule out any serious cause of your symptoms. Discuss with your medical doctor if chiropractic care would benefit your situation, and if your doctor believes it would help, then you can seek the help of a chiropractor. That is, of course, if you ware willing to accept the risks of stroke and death discussed earlier.