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While I've never realized Nirvana through my chiropractic experiences, they have been immensely helpful in the short-term. For example, several years ago I spe

While I've never realized Nirvana through my chiropractic experiences, they have been immensely helpful in the short-term. For example, several years ago I spent the winter on the north shore of Oahu (Hawaii) surfing. The waves are often perfect and glassy, but pack a serious punch when you fall. I took a heavy wipeout, which left me as stiff necked as I've ever been. For a few days I could barely move my head from left to right. I needed to do something, so went to a chriropractor. The chiropractor had seen the surfer's whiplash injury many times before; after some light warmup massage work to loosen up the muscles, a quick jerking of the head, and crack!!, done. All the tension gone in an instant. Walked out a new man, was back in the water the next day. Less extreme, as a computer worker I often find myself in strange/unhealthy positions while consumed with solving yet another problem. This leaves my back not feeling all that great. So, 3 or 4 times a year I go to a chiropractor I know (in Montreal) and get an adjustment. While there's no permanent realignment, there is most definitely a temporary one, which feels great. I'd say it depends on the chiropractor (YMMV), and not that the profession as a whole is a hoax.

Para2016 9y ago
>a quick jerking of the head Please don't ever let anyone do that again. The two vertebral arteries that supply blood to your posterior brain (occipital lobe, cerebellum, medulla, pons) are encased in your cervical/neck vertebrae transverse processes. Quick manipulation of your neck with a "jerk" can injure these arteries and lead to dissection and infarct of your brain with permanent loss of function or it can even kill you. I've survived a vertebral dissection caused by neck manipulation which lead to permanent loss of vision. A dissection is injury to the inner lining of a blood vessel leading to clot formation over the tear. The clot can entirely obstruct the lumen of the vessel or parts can break off and obstruct downstream vessels leading to infarct. Please don't let anyone manipulate your neck in the future.
- gnicholas 9y ago
  I asked my (medical) doctor about the safety risks of chiropractic adjustment, and he said there are rare cases of permanent injury from neck adjustments. He said it was less than 1/1000, but enough to be worried about. I have found that whenever I (infrequently) go in for lower back pain, the chiro always goes up the back and neck also — especially if his attempts at adjustment lower down were not successful. I always have to remind him beforehand that I do not want my neck manipulated.
  - Para2016 9y ago
    That's good advice. I'm just a puny resident but I totally agree with your doctor. I won't comment on chiropractors in general, but just on the neck manipulation part, which is a risk factor for arterial dissection. Here's a cohort study supporting your doctor's advice to you. http://m.neurology.org/content/60/9/1424.short http://m.neurology.org/content/60/9/1424.short And just for some Pop culture connection - here's a link to an article about a Playboy model that died after a carotid dissection due to neck manipulation by a chiropractor. http://people.com/bodies/playboy-model-katie-may-died-after-chiropractor-ruptured-an-artery-in-her-neck-coroner-says/ http://people.com/bodies/playboy-model-katie-may-died-after-...

Para2016 9y ago

>a quick jerking of the head Please don't ever let anyone do that again. The two vertebral arteries that supply blood to your posterior brain (occipital lobe, cerebellum, medulla, pons) are encased in your cervical/neck vertebrae transverse processes. Quick manipulation of your neck with a "jerk" can injure these arteries and lead to dissection and infarct of your brain with permanent loss of function or it can even kill you. I've survived a vertebral dissection caused by neck manipulation which lead to permanent loss of vision. A dissection is injury to the inner lining of a blood vessel leading to clot formation over the tear. The clot can entirely obstruct the lumen of the vessel or parts can break off and obstruct downstream vessels leading to infarct. Please don't let anyone manipulate your neck in the future.

gnicholas 9y ago
I asked my (medical) doctor about the safety risks of chiropractic adjustment, and he said there are rare cases of permanent injury from neck adjustments. He said it was less than 1/1000, but enough to be worried about. I have found that whenever I (infrequently) go in for lower back pain, the chiro always goes up the back and neck also — especially if his attempts at adjustment lower down were not successful. I always have to remind him beforehand that I do not want my neck manipulated.
- Para2016 9y ago
  That's good advice. I'm just a puny resident but I totally agree with your doctor. I won't comment on chiropractors in general, but just on the neck manipulation part, which is a risk factor for arterial dissection. Here's a cohort study supporting your doctor's advice to you. http://m.neurology.org/content/60/9/1424.short http://m.neurology.org/content/60/9/1424.short And just for some Pop culture connection - here's a link to an article about a Playboy model that died after a carotid dissection due to neck manipulation by a chiropractor. http://people.com/bodies/playboy-model-katie-may-died-after-chiropractor-ruptured-an-artery-in-her-neck-coroner-says/ http://people.com/bodies/playboy-model-katie-may-died-after-...