Chiropractic Neck Manipulation and Cervical Artery Dissections / Strokes: The Evidence

Cervical artery neck dissections are a known though uncommon complication of neck manipulation or rapid rotational force applied to the neck, particularly in an extended position.

Cervical artery dissections occur in an estimated 1:20,000 neck manipulations but there are LOTS of manipulations performed each day .

Yet despite this evidence, chiropractors continue to practice rapid neck manipulation for the “neck cracking” effect.