Nearly half of the adult population in the United States has benefited from Chiropractic care at least once in their lifetimes. Fourteen percent of all American adults have been to the chiropractor in the past twelve months. The total number of fatalities that have occurred as a result of these visits is exactly Zero.
There are a number of rumors about Chiropractic care
Most of them are opinion, and not fact based. Recently, in the case of “Snapchat Queen” Katie May, a coroner ruled her death to be “accidental”, but the chiropractor she visited prior to her fatal stroke is being blamed for the “accident”. Independent studies refute this claim and clearly show that her death was not the result of her chiropractic visit.
Studies Prove Chiropractic Procedures do not cause Strokes
Katie May died from a Vertebrobasiler Artery Stroke (VBA), a rare condition that was recently studied by a group led by Dr. J. David Cassidy, Senior Scientist at Krembil Research Institute. An analysis of similar stroke cases done by Cassidy’s Group concluded that there is “no evidence of excess risk of VBA associated with chiropractic care compared to primary care. “
A similar study conducted by a group led by Ephraim W. Church, Neurological Surgeon at Penn State Hershey Medical Center, dug even deeper. They did an analysis of all reported cases of VBA where chiropractic neck manipulation was done in the patient treatment process. This study, like the Cassidy Group report, states, “There is no convincing evidence to support a causal link between chiropractic manipulation and cervical artery dissection.”
What does all this mean in plain English?
In the case of Katie May, she sought chiropractic care after a fall on a photo shoot and was treated medically following the chiropractic visit. Of these three events, over a two-week period, the one most unlikely to cause the artery dissection was the chiropractic visit. In fact, VBA symptoms, which include headache and neck pain, sometimes don’t appear until months or years have gone by after the initial trauma.
In other words, Katie didn’t have a stroke because a chiropractor manipulated her neck. She had a stroke because she suffered from a rare medical condition that exists in less than 1% of the total population. The chances of you having that condition and being at risk for this type of stroke are infinitesimally small.
How often should you visit a chiropractor?
Now that your fear of dying a chiropractic death has been alleviated, let’s debunk another myth associated with chiropractic care. Most folks believe that, once they go to their first visit and receive treatment, they’ll need to keep going for the rest of their lives. This is not true, though many patients at Eastside Chiropractic Center do come in regularly for preventative care, much like visiting their dentist.
Certain conditions require short-term treatment; others dictate a more long-term plan. It generally depends on the nature of the initial injury or condition that brings about the need for chiropractic care. The frequency of visits should be discussed early in the process. Chiropractic care is not a life sentence.
A Chiropractic Degree requires more Classroom Time than a Medical Degree
This is a little known fact about the path to become a chiropractor. DC isn’t just a comic book label. It also stands for “Doctorate of Chiropractic”, and it takes years of school to attain one. Chiropractors are required to do more classroom hours than medical doctors. They also need to complete a residency before being certified.
Another myth is that the medical profession as a whole “doesn’t like” chiropractors. This could not be further from the truth. Most hospitals have chiropractors on staff and many chiropractic offices have medical doctors on staff or available for referrals. Methods of treatment are different, but the objective is the same – making sure the patient is treated properly and recovers from pain or injury.
Seek Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain, Headaches, Arthritis and More
There are dozens of good reasons to make an appointment with your chiropractor. Chronic pain in the neck or back is the most common. Seeking a better range of motion, something arthritis patients suffer from, is another. Even if you’re not suffering from pain or illness, but you’re living a sedentary lifestyle and feeling stiff, you should make the call. A Chiropractor can help.
You can reach Eastside Chiropractic Center by calling (401) 453-2225 or by emailing eastsidechiropracticri@gmail.com. We offer chiropractic evaluations, adjustments, injury rehabilitation, and massage therapy.
