A 29-year-old woman, Joanna Kowalczyk, was reported to have died “of the consequences of chiropractic treatment” last October 19, 2021, after she “felt a crack to her neck.” The medical circumstances of Kowalczyk alerted the General Chiropractic Council to implement necessary rules to prevent such medical repercussions.
Prior to visiting the chiropractor, Kowalczyk had suffered from a stroke and an undiagnosed arterial dissection. Kowalczyk was known to frequent the gym, hence, a month preceding her death, she had injured her neck during a personal training session. Oblivious to the fact, Kowalczyk was already suffering from an arterial dissection which meant that there was a tear in her artery that possibly affected the vertebral arteries in her head or neck. According to the Mayo Clinic, if the arterial dissection is not treated promptly, it could potentially lead to sudden death.
After hearing a crack in her neck during the training session, Kowalczyk brought herself to the hospital emergency department the following day. She then underwent a Computed Tomography (CT) scan and was advised to undergo a lumbar puncture. This procedure was suggested to rule out the possibility of hemorrhage. However, Kowalczyk declined the medical advice and made the decision to be “self-discharged.”
She then sought out four chiropractic treatments at an unnamed clinic in the succeeding weeks after her fateful encounter at the gym. Kowalczyk informed her chiropractor about her CT scan, but there were no further requests regarding her medical history and thus proceeded with the treatment.
During the course of her last few sessions, on October 16, 2021, Kowalczyk experienced dizziness, vomiting, double vision, tingling in her right hand and foot, and struggles to speak. The chiropractor advised her to seek medical attention which she refused. Later that day, she was given treatment at home by paramedics and told her family that her symptoms were common after chiropractic adjustments, and she was diagnosed with migraine, unaware that she was simultaneously suffering from a stroke.
As her health continued to decline, Kowalczyk was later rushed to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, United Kingdom. After only three days, Kowalczyk passed away due to several medical complications she had gone through following her incident at the gym.
Leila Benyounes Assistant coroner for Gateshead and South Tyneside, a town in England, concluded that Kowalczyk’s death back on October 19, 2021, was caused by “A combination of the consequences of chiropractic treatment following a naturally occurring medical event.” Kowalczyk’s case prompted coroner Benyounes to address recommendations toward the General Chiropractic Council, by introducing guidelines to chiropractors to evaluate a patient’s medical history prior to administering treatments.
Other POP! stories you might like:
Study shows fat cells retain a ‘memory’ of past obesity, complicating long-term weight loss
Adults diagnosed with ADHD have shorter life expectancy, research suggests
Instagram’s new location-sharing feature sparks privacy concerns among users
Copyright expiration brings 1929’s iconic films, songs, and books into the public domain this year
Bruno Mars fans surprised by his new song, ‘Fat, Juicy & Wet’
