A woman has recounted a harrowing ordeal where she alleges that a routine chiropractic adjustment led to a torn artery in her neck, plunging her into a state of relentless agony and bedridden confinement. Carissa Klundt, 41, had been a frequent visitor to a chiropractor to address severe back pain stemming from her breast implant removal surgery, which she claimed had adversely affected her health. "My muscles grew exceptionally taut," Klundt recounted, as quoted by The Daily Mail. "It was an extensive surgery; my muscles tightened, causing immense pain."
The chiropractic sessions initially proved beneficial until a substitute practitioner took over during an appointment in November 2022 and applied a neck manipulation. "Immediately afterward, I sensed something was amiss," Klundt elaborated. "You usually hear a crack during adjustments, but I knew something had gone terribly wrong. I felt a painful sensation in my neck and, upon reaching home, I felt nauseous."
Weeks following the incident, Klundt's condition worsened. "I started experiencing visions and blackouts," she said. Her husband insisted on taking her to the emergency room, where a CAT scan revealed she had suffered a vertebral artery dissection (VAD) – a tear in the artery running along the spine. According to the Cleveland Clinic, this condition can disrupt blood flow, posing severe, potentially life-threatening complications.
"I instantly realized it was due to the chiropractor," she asserted. "That's when my ordeal began." Klundt was swiftly transferred to the ICU of another hospital, where doctors warned her of a possible stroke. "If I hadn't gone to the hospital, I would have suffered a stroke," she recounted. "I could have easily died. It was traumatic for my entire family."
The former fitness and wellness enthusiast struggled immensely in the initial month. "I was confined to bed, exhausted, sleeping for 17 hours a day. I needed assistance walking and was in constant pain," she explained. Nearly three years later, her symptoms have yet to fully resolve. "I was once healthy, active, and deeply connected to my body," she lamented. "This has drastically altered my lifestyle. I'll never ski again, never ride a rollercoaster, and no longer teach fitness classes." She continued, "A lingering fear persists of it happening again. I'm doing well now, but it's been a lengthy and arduous recovery."
"My life came to a standstill," she confessed. "I deeply regret visiting the chiropractor. This isn't about assigning blame but about raising awareness. I want people to understand the symptoms and recognize this as a life-threatening condition."
