Woman passes away after getting neck adjusted by chiropractor
A 29-year-old gym enthusiast died after a chiropractor adjusted her neck.
According to a report by the Gateshead and South Tyneside Coroner, Joanna Kowalczyk from the UK opted to seek assistance from a chiropractor after feeling a “crack to her neck” while working out.
She went to the hospital, where she was advised to undergo a CT scan as well as lumbar puncture to reduce her risk of hemorrhage. She only went for the former, and then decided to have her neck pain relieved by a chiropractor instead.
While the chiropractor was informed that she had a CT scan, they failed to check her previous medical documents prior to her four-week treatment. Kowalczyk ended up feeling dizzy and nauseous, having double vision, and struggling to talk in the latter part of the session.
The chiropractor thought Kowalczyk was suffering a stroke and performed a FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) test, which helps one quickly identify the three most common signs of stroke mainly by checking a patient's face and arm weakness. After it turned out negative, they advised her to have herself checked by the hospital. She, however, asked her partner to just bring her home and assist her when she needed to walk.
Later that day, Kowalczyk was treated by medical workers, who diagnosed her with a migraine, noting that symptoms of such, as well as dizziness, are “normal after the chiropractic treatment.”
Paramedics attended to her again the next day. Her "reduced level of consciousness" became evident, prompting medical workers to rush her to a nearby hospital. She had to be intubated and ventilated on the way there. She died two days later.
Assistant coroner Leila Benyounes reported on Jan. 22 this year that the woman had an arterial dissection, which occurs when "arterial structure is compromised," after injuring her neck during the training session in September 2021. A month later, it was found that she passed away due to the “consequences of chiropractic treatment" along with stroke and arterial dissection.
Following her death, the General Chiropractic Council has been advised to come up with new rules so it doesn't happen again. They are advised to look into a patient's medical records before every session.
The GCC, for its part, told BBC News that they will think about the coroner's advice, noting that they "expect chiropractors to provide good quality care that is patient-centered, safe, and effective."