Acute vertigo following cervical manipulation.
OBJECTIVE
Either licensed American chiropractors or traditional Chinese herbalists may produce vertiginous attack in a patient after cervical manipulation. The purpose of the study was to present our experience in treating these patients to determine the risk of this procedure.


METHODS
A retrospective study from May 1999 to April 2002.


METHODS
Nine patients (one man and eight women) with acute vertigo after cervical manipulation were admitted and underwent a battery of audiometric and vestibular tests, accompanied by magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance angiography examination.


RESULTS
The mean interval for the onset of acute vertigo after cervical manipulation was within 1 day (17 h). Electronystagmography revealed multiple central signs. Magnetic resonance angiography scan also disclosed abnormality in the vertebral artery such as occlusion, stenosis, or slow blood flow in three patients. After treatment with dextran, relief of vertigo without neurological deficits was experienced in all nine patients.


CONCLUSIONS
When there are multiple central signs in electronystagmography results or slow blood flow of the vertebral artery is displayed in neck on Doppler sonography or magnetic resonance angiography scan, the therapeutic benefits of cervical manipulation cannot be expected to outweigh its potential risk for the morbidity of cervical vessels.
Young
Yi-Ho
YH
Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Youngyh@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
Chen
Chia-Hung
CH
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002150:Caloric Tests; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000098:blood supply; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D026882:Manipulation, Chiropractic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009333:Neck; D017120:Nystagmus, Optokinetic / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013997:Time Factors; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*