Expert: Gerald Anzalone, D.C. - 8/6/2009

Question
I started going to a chiropracter for after an RSI (repetative stress injury on my wrists/hands) everything worked out fine and i didn't need to go any more exept for every 2 months or so (b/c it felt amazing after i went). On one visit i went back and had an adjustment by a Chiro (who i haddn't sen in a while)and about a day to 3 days after i got intense tightness in my upper back and shoulder/armpit area which i had never had pain there before (i had trouble liftimg my arm b/c of sharp pain). After about a week and a hal 2 weeks i went back and got a message (and they were amazed by how tight i was) and told a different chiro about it and they gentily adjusted me again (both time my neck was adjusted)everything seemed fine and i didn't really wory about it.
But now i get pain tightness in my armpit shoulder area (ramdomly Esp. when i am being active) and i had never had it before. Is it possible that what had happened could have caused perminant dammage? (i have read about perminant dammage of strokes and other stuff, but i didn't read anything about dammage resulting in muscular problems)  
If you understand what could have even happened I would greatly appreciate an explanation ( i didn't really get an answer when i asked?

thank you for your time


Answer
James,

It's difficult for me to answer this question because I don't have the benefit of all of the clinical information that pertains to your case and your care.

If I understand the facts that you presented correctly, you received a manipulation to the upper back region (or was it the neck?), after which you experienced tightness and difficulty lifting one arm. The first thing that comes to mind, based on your symptoms, is a herniated disc, but please bear in mind that there is little convincing evidence to show that a chiropractor can herniate a disc through manipulation because all of the modeling studies show that the chiropractor would have to generate more force than is possible with manual spinal manipulation in order to herniate a disc. In virtually all of the cases that are reported, the person already had a herniated disc which could have become inflamed following manipulation.

Regarding the issue of manipulation and stroke, the evidence is overwhelming that chiropractors in the absolute vast majority of cases do not cause a stroke through manipulation, but rather, the stroke was probably in progress when the patient visited the chiropractor. That is why in patients who are at risk for a stroke, manipulation is often not performed by the chiropractor.

If your symptoms are continuing or getting worse, I recommend that you consult your chiropractor or your primary care physician to discuss whether additional evaluation or testing may be required to identify the cause of your symptoms.

I hope that this helps to answer your question.