What is it about?
There is sufficient evidence to indicate that upper cervical manipulation can stroke by injuring vertebral and internal carotid arteries.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
Extreme caution must be exercised in use of neck manipulation that involves rotation of the occipital-atlanto-axial structures in order to avoid injury caused by stretching of cervical arteries. Patients as well as providers must be made aware of the risk involved with upper neck manipulation, requiring informed consent for use of such treatment.
Perspectives
Because of the risk involved with use of upper neck manipulation, there is not sufficient evidence to indicate that the benefit of such treatment outweighs the risk involved.
Dr Samuel Homola
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Headache, neck manipulation and stroke: the atlanto-axial triad, Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, June 2016, Wiley,
DOI: 10.1111/fct.12252.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
