In a tragic turn of events, Joanna Kowalczyk, a 29-year-old woman from Tyneside, U.K., died after she ‘felt a crack to her neck’ and sought out medical attention from a chiropractor to treat her neck pain. This incident has raised significant concerns about the risks associated with chiropractic care, particularly for individuals with undiagnosed medical conditions.
Tragedy seeps through the cracks
On September 26, 2021, while Kowalczyk was at the gym, she felt a ‘crack’ in her neck during her workout session. A later coroner’s report stated that the ‘crack’ in her neck was likely due to bilateral arterial dissections. Bilateral arterial dissections are tears in the layers of the carotid artery located in the neck. This condition can lead to severe health issues, such as brain hemorrhages and strokes. The precarious location of these arteries makes any damage done to them potentially life-threatening.
The day after sustaining her injury at the gym, Kowalczyk sought medical attention by visiting Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead. At the hospital, she underwent a CT scan but left before a lumbar puncture procedure could be performed. Medics had suggested she undergo a lumbar puncture to rule out any potential hemorrhage. A lumbar puncture involves extracting cerebrospinal fluid to examine for any issues, such as bleeding or infection.
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Following her discharge from the hospital
Kowalczyk sought treatment at a chiropractor. The chiropractor did not have access to her medical history, which included records of migraines and joint hypermobility. Assistant coroner for Gateshead and South Tyneside, Leila Benyounes, found it likely that Kowalczyk had an undiagnosed connective tissue disorder that made her more vulnerable to arterial dissections.
The potential dangers of neck cracking
During an appointment with the chiropractor on October 16, 2021, Kowalczyk began exhibiting alarming symptoms. She complained of experiencing dizziness, vomiting, double vision, tingling sensations in her right hand and foot, and difficulty speaking—all symptoms commonly associated with a stroke. The coroner’s report stated that Kowalczyk “sustained acute dissections in the same location as the previous dissections during the chiropractic manipulation.”
The chiropractor suspected Kowalczyk was having a stroke and performed a FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties and Time) test; however, it came back negative. Despite being advised by two individuals to seek immediate medical attention at a hospital, Kowalczyk decided against it and was instead taken home by her partner. Her partner had to assist her home since she couldn’t walk properly. The chiropractor provided a note recommending that she seek hospital care if her condition worsened.
Later that day, an ambulance was called
Paramedics treated Kowalczyk at home. Initially diagnosing her with a migraine due to her symptoms of dizziness—considered typical after chiropractic treatments—despite negative FAST tests indicating stroke symptoms could have subsided quickly. Her second FAST test also turned out negative. Kowalczyk’s condition worsened significantly over the next 24 hours; paramedics were called again to transport her to Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Tragically, she passed away on October 19, 2021. A post-mortem CT scan revealed an obstruction near the base of her skull and a CT angiogram confirmed a left vertebral artery dissection.
The Cause of her death – neck cracking?
Assistant Coroner Leila Benyounes concluded that Kowalczyk’s death resulted from complications arising from “chiropractic treatment following a naturally occurring medical event.” The coroner recommended that the General Chiropractic Council implement guidelines requiring chiropractors to review patients’ medical histories before administering any treatment.
The report was sent to both the General Chiropractic Council (GCC) and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), with a deadline for their responses set for April 25. At the time of her death, “the ambulance service found that there was a failure in communications made by the paramedic crew on 10/17/21,” but Benyounes wrote that “this did not cause or contribute to the death.”
The Bottom Line
A spokesperson for the General Chiropractic Council stated: “We expect chiropractors to provide good quality care that is patient-centered, safe and effective and consistent with current standards: “We will be carefully considering the important concerns raised by the coroner in her report and will respond directly.”
This tragic case underlines the importance and imperative nature of thorough medical evaluations and highlights the potential dangers of alternative treatments when critical medical information is not shared or accessed properly. The circumstances surrounding Joanna Kowalczyk’s death serve as a stark reminder of how crucial it is for healthcare providers to have complete patient histories before proceeding with any treatment plan, especially in alternative medicines.
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