Our Stories
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"I am a stroke survivor. At 39, I suffered a severe brainstem stroke after a chiropractic upper neck manipulation. My story was published in Self Magazine in 2007. . . . This event changed my life forever. I mourn the loss of my former self every day. However, I am one of the 'lucky ones'... I didn't die and I'm not paralyzed... and I think of those that weren't so lucky, as well as the people who, right now... today, will become victims like I did... every single day. I never knew about this serious risk associated with upper neck manipulation and most of the public has been denied this knowledge as well. It has been kept a secret for many years (why?) and I will do everything in my power to change that. I know this is no easy task. After all, I'm only one person fighting against a very powerful and politically connected enterprise (i.e., the chiropractic community), but I will not fail. If even one person is spared from becoming maimed or dying from me telling my story, I will have succeeded." - Christa
Kelley 2 days before
the chiropractor's cervical
manipulation
". . . In the last couple months I have found out that my strokes were not as rare as we thought. We knew that I suffered a vertebral artery dissection, which caused two strokes. Many doctors asked my family if I had seen a chiropractor. They knew that I went to the chiropractor the day before my strokes, but they didn't know exactly what manipulations he did. While I was in the hospital I could not speak and tell exactly what happened.
After getting out of the hospital and doing some research we found that the dissection might have been caused by a chiropractic neck manipulation. I have since heard of this happening to many women. I have also found out that there are many who have not made it; some are paralyzed, and some have to use a feeding tube for the rest of their lives. I'm very, very lucky, I know.
Kelley March 1, 2007
in rehabilitation
One of my goals is to make as many people aware of the risks associated with chiropractic neck manipulations as I can. Does your chiropractor tell you there is a risk involved? Don't you think they should at least inform their patients? My personal belief is that neck manipulation should be banned, but I know that won't happen soon. I found that in Canada chiropractic neck manipulations are not covered by health insurance. I guess they are smarter than us. More and more people know what has happened to them, but some are still in the dark and do not know. I plan to change that." - Kelley
Chiropractic Stroke Awareness Organization is a non-profit. We are dedicated to understanding, evaluating and researching the risks of stroke induced by chiropractic upper cervical manipulation.
