Neck pain and headache after first visit to chiropractor
Hello.
I am a 28 year old female who has been having ongoing pain and stiffness in the neck.
I recently went to see a chiropractor for the first time and he performed an evaluation. One of the tests he did involved pressing down on the top of my head relatively hard as well as maneuvering my head in several positions.
He did not do any adjustments, as this was only an evaluation. After leaving his clinic that day, I had quite a bad headache and my neck was even more painful and stiff, then it was before I went in to see him.
I was just wondering if he may have done further damage?
I am particularly concerned about any damage to the arteries that supply blood from the neck to the head, leading to a stoke.
I continue to have pain in the neck and a dull pain in my head now.
I know that diagnoses cannot be made via the Internet, however I was just wondering if it is at all possible to damage the arteries by having your head firmly pressed on? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance, Jennifer
1 Comment found
Dr. Brian
Some studies have shown that stroke can be caused by simple maneuvers like drying your hair with a towel, or getting your hair washed at the beauty salon. Many times, these people also had a history of high blood pressure, or other cardiovascular disease. There is a risk with chiropractic neck manipulation, but this risk has been shown to be minute. In your case, the doctor was probably performing orthopedic tests. These tests are positive if they cause pain. In normal situations, they are negative, and do not cause pain. In your case, the pain may be related to the orthopedic testing. However, make sure you mention this to the chiropractor when you see him for follow-up. You may also have some soreness after your first couple treatments, which again is normal in most cases. Some patients feel great immediately, but some have the soreness. With my patients, some feel post treatment soreness because I also do myofascial trigger point soft tissue work first. Also, the chiropractor is mobilizing joints in your spine that have probably not moved regularly in a long time (depending on trauma etc). I suggest patients to use ice post treatment if they feel this, but it should not continue after the first couple visits.Hope this helps! Dr. Brian