THE Hong Kong Chiropractors' Association would like to refer to an agency news brief headlined, ''Sudden stroke'' which was published in the South China Morning Post, on February 21. The article states that a ''chiropractic snap'' can trigger a stroke. We would like to clarify this since it may have given rise for undue alarm. The issue of the safety of chiropractic treatment has been previously addressed and several investigations have been made to determine the incidence and the mechanisms by which chiropractic treatment may lead to a stroke. It has been reported that the risk of a stroke following cervical adjustment is extremely remote - two to three cases per million treatments. This compares with the risk of 150,000 cases per million treatments of developing paralysis following neurosurgery on the cervical spine, often performed for similar degenerative conditions. We would like to reassure the general public that chiropractic adjustment is a remarkably safe procedure when performed by a properly trained chiropractic doctor. EDWARD T. LEE M.D., D.C. President Hong Kong Chiropractors Association
