Hey again everyone, and happy Homecoming Week. I know all of you
up in Lombard are hurt that I was not one of the students picked by
the raffle to head up for Homecoming this week, but rest assured, I
will rig the raffle next year and be there partying alongside you.
I will, however, be looking forward to the shortened week; it will
serve for a good time to get in some much-needed work.
This past week, the Florida chapter of SACA brought in a phenom
of chiropractic research to speak to us about the risk of stroke
after a chiropractic cervical adjustment. Dr. Anthony Rosner, PhD,
has been researching the underlying causes and risks for stroke
after adjustments to protect as well as praise the professionalism
of a precise chiropractic adjustment. According to the research,
the risk for a neurological complication after a cervical
adjustment is only 0.31 per million patients; the next
closest incidence of a stroke is 56 per million, and
that's for being struck by lightning!
Dr.
Anthony Rosner presenting his research.
Dr. Rosner places most of the blame of vertebral artery
complications onto the amino acid homocysteine and its ability to
weaken arterial wall collagen. A journal entry sited by Dr. Rosner,
from the New England Journal of Medicine, reported a
direct correlation to the incidence of stroke with an increased
plasma homocysteine level. So, does this mean you should screen
each of your patients for homocysteine levels prior to a neck
adjustment? More than likely, no.
The most important part of having the knowledge and skills we
are acquiring in school is to know when and when not to use them. A
proper history of a patient with atherosclerotic plaques, or
possibly a folic acid (B9) or cobalamin (B12) deficiency, should
set off some alarms for a check, but other than that, your best
judgment as a doctor should always be used.
If anyone would like a copy of Dr. Rosner's presentation, please
let me know and I will be happy to forward it along. Have a great
week, and enjoy Homecoming for me, and the rest of the FL campus.
We will be there in spirit!
Take care,
Dex