NEW RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE SAFETY OF UPPER CERVICAL ADJUSTMENTS The first paper, from England, was published in Spine (32(21):2375-2378, October 1, 2007) and its conclusions are thus: Of the over 50,000 cervical manipula- tions observed, there were no reports of serious adverse events. Minor side effects, occurring either immediately after, or within seven days after treatment, were slightly more common. Some of the side effects included: • fainting, dizziness, light-headedness in, at worst, 16 per 1,000 treatments, • numbness or tingling in upper limbs in, at worst, 15 per 1,000 treatments, • headache in, at worst, four per 100 treatments. This data echoes that of three previous studies – Spine (1997), 22(4):435-440; JMPT (1997), 20(8):511-515; and JMPT (2004), 27(1): 16-25. They all point to the fact that the worst possible side effect, after an adjustment, is a little muscle ache, a bit of fatigue and some mild vasodilative responses. No blown discs, no broken ribs, no strokes. The second study, reported at the WFC Conference in Portugal last May and again recently at the Bone & Joint Decade Task force on Neck Pain in Regina, will be published in the upcoming February 2008 edition of Spine. This project, headed by some well- known Canadian researchers, shows that the risk of dissective stroke is no different whether people seek care from a chiropractor or a medical doctor! Since physicians do not routinely adjust necks in their practices, this would strongly suggest that chiropractic neck adjust- ments have nothing to do with dissective strokes. Add to this the 2002 Symons study in JMPT which showed that to damage a vertebral artery would take 25 times more stretch than was possible with a rotary adjustment, and you can see that the “risk” is an illusion stemming from bad timing rather than a reflection Of the more than 50,000 cervical manipulations observed, there were no reports of serious adverse events. of bad chiropractic. And, of special note, the numbers presented in the study are right around the traditional “one-in-a- million” rarity rates that chiropractors have traditionally advocated. To put that into perspective, consider your risk of death from the following: • in a car accident – 13,333 per million, • from prescription drugs – 3,200 per million, • from cigarettes – 1,667 per million, and • while riding a bike – 12 per million. As research confines the “risk” of cervical adjustment to minor irritations, at best, while proving that the chances of causing stroke are so remote as to be almost nil, why do some malpractice carriers still insist this critical – yet scientifically unverifiable – issue be addressed during consultation? It is evident that, based on current data, these overblown and unsubstantiated “known risks” should be withdrawn from currently endorsed “informed consent” (IC) forms immediately. THE TIME HAS COME TO MOVE ON I believe the entire profession owes a debt of gratitude to those toiling in the research community on such mundane, yet vital, issues as this. So to all those involved in these, and similar studies, on behalf of the profession: Thanks!!! Finally, it is obvious that chiropractic is at a crossroads, a critical mass, a flashpoint, as it were. It is time for each and every one of us to come off the sidelines and get in the game. It is time, if you truly value the gift you bring to humanity, for all of us to stand up and quit living on our knees before those who would keep us down. It is time to deliver our services to a suffering world with self-respect. Our communities need what we have to offer now, more than ever, since that day in 1895 when D.D. Palmer had his “light-bulb moment.” Now, more than ever, we need to draw the line so that we can, finally, put this issue to bed and get on with the more important business of getting more people under chiropractic care. The future of our society vitally depends on it.• PRESIDENT’S CITATION AWARD PRESENTED TO DR. PETER MAGEE The officers and members of the New Brunswick Chiropractor's Association extend sincere and profound appreciation to Dr. Magee for the longstanding devoted and invaluable service rendered by him to the Chiropractic Profession. This award is presented to acknowledge the respect and esteem in which Dr. Magee is held by his colleagues. Dr. Norm Skjonsberg, the NBCA president, states, “I am pleased to have Dr. Magee in the NBCA. He has served in many capacities and is currently the WHSCC (WCB) chiropractic consultant for the NBCA.” Dr. Skjonsberg adds, “I also would like to acknowledge the support and commitment, to the chiropractic profession, by Dr. Magee’s spouse, Leslie. Thanks to both of you for your contributions to the NBCA.” 18 • CANADIAN CHIROPRACTOR | DECEMBER 2007 Dr. Peter Magee (right) receives the President’s Citation award from NBCA president Dr. Norman Skjonsberg. www.canadianchiropractor.ca news
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