Question
i went to me Chiropractor last Wed. to get my adjustment. I have MS & have been haing numbness in my left hand. He adjusted my neck concentrating on C-5. My neck cracked quite a bit & I started having quite a sore neck later that eve. I also started feeling kind of woozy. The next morning I woke up feeling very strange. Everything was moving & when I look to either side things start moving. If I just look straight ahead at something close I am ok, but not at things far away. I have been seeing my Chiropractor for about 5 yrs. or so & have never had a problem. I am think I now have vertigo. What can I do? I am getting ready to call my Chiropractor & my neurologist. What do you think?

Answer
Thank you for your question. While I cannot provide you with specific medical advice via the Internet, in general, it is common for many patients who receive manual spinal therapy to experience temporary, mild (even moderate) soreness after treatment. Normally this discomfort is relatively short-lived. As with any medical treatment, there can be certain side-effects, although in the vast majority of cases of people who experience side-effects from spinal manipulation, they are minor in nature.

Visual changes after an adjustment are rare, but may occur in certain conditions, and they are symptoms that need to be taken seriously. In your case, your symptoms may be related to your MS, but under no circumstances would I recommend further manipulation of your neck until other more serious potential causes, such as a vascular problem, are definitely ruled out.

I would absolutely recommend contacting your chiropractor just to let him or her know what your current symptoms are, and I would inquire about the possibility (after you undergo medical evaluation of your symptoms) of having non-forceful mobilization and/or soft tissue techniques used on your neck, which do not utilize a thrust maneuver, and which normally do not produce the audible release of the joint. Chiropractic technique encompasses a wide range of non-forceful manipulation which are extremely safe and effective, especially for patients in which traditional thrust manipulation may not be a good idea. Depending on their training and perspective on patient care, not all chiropractors have proficiency in this area, so it's important to ask specifically about using non-forceful soft tissue therapy and joint mobilization versus traditional manipulation techniques.

First, however, I would most definitely follow up with your neurologist for a complete neurological and vascular evaluation as soon as possible to make sure that you don't have an underlying pathological condition which would prohibit certain types of spinal manipulation. If your symptoms worsen before you can see your medical physician, contact someone to take you to the to the nearest emergency department.  

I hope that this answers your question.