Caitlin Jensen, 28, went to a Savannah chiropractor on June 16 to have an “adjustment to her neck,” according to a GoFundMe page dedicated to raising medical funds for her care. Shortly after the fitting, Jensen became “sick” and was taken to the hospital, where it was discovered that she had four arteries in her neck. (According to UVA Health, arterial dissections occur when the inner wall of an artery tears. As blood enters the tear, the layers of the artery wall separate, which can lead to a life-threatening leak.)
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Story continues below ad “This damage resulted in cardiac arrest and stroke, as well as loss of pulse for over 10 minutes after which he was revived,” the fundraising page states. “Once the doctors were able to stabilize Caitlin, she was rushed into surgery. Doctors were able to repair a few tears and placed a stent in an artery.” “That morning we got up and talked to her before work. You talk to her and then 30 minutes later, she’s in the hospital and now in the ICU,” her brother, Caleb Johnson, told ABC News affiliate WJCL. WSB-TV spoke with Jensen’s mother, Darlene, who said doctors told her they believe the injury came as a direct result of the fit. 8:44 Easy exercises to help quiet noisy joints Previous Video Next Video “The surgeon who did her life-saving surgery, and every other doctor who looked at her, all agreed that this happened as a direct result of the neck manipulation,” Jensen said. “The chiropractor called 911 and then called me and said she ‘had a reaction to the treatment.’ Trending Stories
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Story continues below ad The GoFundMe, which has raised nearly half of its $100,000 goal so far, says Jensen is now conscious and can respond to verbal commands by blinking her eyes and shaking her head. He can also wiggle the toes on one foot. The rest of her body remains paralyzed. Dr. Steve Ranicki, a chiropractor, told WJCL that Jensen’s injury is extremely rare.
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“These dissections often cause symptoms of headache and neck pain, which then bring people to the doctor’s office,” Ranicki said. “After they go to the doctor or the chiropractor, the chance is, unfortunately, that a stroke will happen.” Ranicki said he’s seen similar injuries happen when people go to a salon and have their necks manipulated during treatment, though, again, it’s very rare. Jensen had recently graduated from Georgia Southern University with a master’s degree in chemistry and biology. As of this writing, there has been no public comment from the chiropractor or the facility where Jensen was allegedly injured. 2:06 Stroke Awareness Month reminds Canadians to watch for signs Previous Video Next Video © 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
