Young Patient Suffers Stroke After Chiropractic Manipulation

Case Overview

This case involves a male patient in Wisconsin in his mid 20’s with a history of back pain that was being managed through chiropractic spinal manipulation. Following one of his sessions, the patient experienced vertigo, nausea, and chills as soon as he left the chiropractor’s office. He immediately returned to the chiropractor that had performed the manipulation with his concerns, and was told to lie down for a few moments. The chiropractor suggested that the symptoms were likely due to a migraine headache unrelated to his treatment. He departed the office with the assistance of his mother, as by this point he was having difficulty with his balance. After driving to the emergency room, the patient was diagnosed with a cerebellar stroke likely caused by the earlier chiropractic manipulation.