Weeks after experiencing neck pain during a gym workout, a young woman who reported feeling a “crack” in her neck died following chiropractic treatment, an inquest heard. After injuring her neck during a gym session in September 2021, 29-year-old Joanna Kowalczyk declined a hospital procedure and opted for chiropractic therapy after researching alternative treatments. It is believed she suffered an arterial dissection at the time of the gym injury, the Times reported.
Less than a month after suffering acute arterial dissections, Ms Kowalczyk is believed to have experienced further tears in the same area following a chiropractic neck adjustment.
An inquest revealed that Ms Kowalczyk had an undiagnosed connective tissue disorder, which made her more vulnerable to arterial dissections-rare but potentially fatal tears in an artery’s lining. She also had a history of migraines and joint hypermobility issues.
Leila Benyounes, assistant coroner for Gateshead and South Tyneside, concluded that Ms Kowalczyk’s death on October 19, 2021, was caused by “a combination of the consequences of chiropractic treatment following a naturally occurring medical event.”
Publishing her findings on Friday, the coroner recommended that the General Chiropractic Council introduce guidelines requiring chiropractors to review a patient’s medical history before treatment.
Chiropractic Treatment Followed Hospital Visit
Ms Kowalczyk had initially gone to the hospital after hearing a crack in her neck. A CT scan was performed, and doctors advised her to undergo a lumbar puncture to rule out a possible haemorrhage. However, she discharged herself against medical advice and instead sought treatment from a chiropractor for pain relief.
The inquest heard that she informed the chiropractor about her recent hospital visit and CT scan, but the chiropractor did not request any medical records before proceeding with treatment.
Over four weeks, Ms Kowalczyk underwent multiple chiropractic sessions. During an appointment on October 16, 2021, she suddenly experienced severe dizziness, double vision, and tingling in her right hand and foot. She also had difficulty speaking.
The chiropractor advised her to seek medical attention, but she did not go to the hospital immediately. Later that day, paramedics treated her at home and, after being told that dizziness and migraines were common after chiropractic adjustments, diagnosed her with a migraine.
The inquest was told that the attending medical professional “was not aware that stroke symptoms can sometimes subside temporarily.” Ms Kowalczyk was eventually taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead, where she died three days later.
Coroner Issues Prevention of Future Deaths Report
The coroner formally recorded Ms Kowalczyk’s death as a hospital death but issued a prevention of future deaths report to the North East Ambulance Service and the General Chiropractic Council.
Benyounes expressed concern that the chiropractor had not considered obtaining Ms Kowalczyk’s medical records before treatment, despite knowing about her recent hospital visit and medical investigations.
She noted that even an updated consent form from the British Chiropractic Association lacked a prompt for chiropractors to request medical records before assessment.
“I am concerned that consideration to obtaining medical records should always be given before assessment, particularly where recent medical treatment or investigations have been undertaken,” the coroner stated.
The organizations involved have 56 days to respond to the coroner’s recommendations.
