Spinous process fractures after chiropractic massage in a previously healthy subject

• Main Authors: Ricardo Vieira Botelho, Matheus Fernandes de Oliveira, Ulysses Oliveira Sousa, José Marcus Rotta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda. 2014-09-01
• Series: Brazilian Neurosurgery
• Subjects: low back pain; manipulation spinal; spinal diseases
• Online Access: http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0038-1626215

Increasing available alternative therapies to the treatment of back pain and sometimes difficult access to specialized medical evaluations allowed a widespread use of alternative therapies for the treatment of back pain. We describe a case with a consequence of massage therapy in a patient with initial symptoms of back pain resulting in spinous process fractures. She promptly searched medical attendance and cervical plain radiograph revealed avulsion of spinous processes of C6 and C7 in their outer third. Due to benign nature of lesion, without evidence of instability and spinal cord injury, the subject was managed conservatively, with application of a Philadelphia collar and analgesic medication. We reinforce the need of medical attention before beginning any therapeutic method in order to identify previous alterations and plan an adequate programming.