'Chiropractors are actually giving me more work': Doctors sound off on chiropractic care—who does it really hurt or help?
Key Takeaways
Industry Insight
“There are reports of severe side effects with chiropractic treatment, including blood clot formation, herniated discs, fractures, artery dissection, stroke, paralysis, and death,” says Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD, a spinal surgeon and the head of The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care.
It’s rare for spinal adjustment treatments provided by chiropractors to lead to serious injury, but it can happen. In 2018, Gabriel Golla of Iowa received a spinal adjustment from chiropractor Allan Novak Jr. that resulted in an arterial dissection and hospitalization.[] Golla filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Novak and his clinic in 2022. Novak lost his license in 2025.
Related: Chiropractor Surrenders License After Major Mess-UpThis case highlights the tension between MDs and chiropractor care. As not all MDs see chiropractic treatment as safe and effective.
Some MDs say chiropractor care is risky for patients
"Chiropractors are actually giving me more work," says @dr.z_neurosurgery on Instagram. He shares a case where he had to perform surgery on a patient following a chiropractic procedure involving a neck fusion.
For many pain-related conditions, pain specialists, such as orthopedists, are often a more effective choice for patients. As physicians, orthopedists have medical training and can prescribe a wide variety of treatments, including surgery and medication. They can also direct patients to options with a lower injury risk than chiropractic care, such as physical therapy.
Possible risks of chiropractic care can range from mild to life-threatening, says Gbolahan Okubadejo, MD, a spinal surgeon and the head of The Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care.
“Some minor side effects might include a temporary increase in pain or discomfort,” he explains. “There are reports of severe side effects with chiropractic treatment, including blood clot formation, herniated discs, fractures, artery dissection, stroke, paralysis, and death.”
In one 2020 study, about half of all chiropractic patients observed experienced some adverse side effect.[] In nearly all cases, the side effects were mild and resolved on their own, with little to no negative impact on daily activities or living. Serious complications, such as arterial dissection, are statistically rare, occurring about once out of every 8.06 million chiropractic office visits.[] One in 48 chiropractors have experienced vertebral artery dissection in their careers.
The risk of chiropractic side effects is increased for some patients. In these cases, chiropractic care isn’t recommended for any condition.
“Patients with cervical myelopathy or any history of spinal cord injury have a greater risk of spinal cord injury and should avoid manipulation,” Dr. Okubadejo says
Not all docs are against chiropractic care
In recent years, the number of chiropractic offices—and those treated by these offices—has increased. Patients across the country are seeking chiropractic care for injuries, chronic pain, and other conditions.
In some instances, chiropractic care can be a beneficial choice. A trained, licensed chiropractor can provide pain relief for patients with conditions such as whiplash, sciatica, migraine, muscle pain, or back pain.
“Patients with neck or back pain from a musculoskeletal etiology may benefit from chiropractic care,” says Dr. Okubadejo. “Patients who don’t have radiating pain or a history of spinal cord compromise can also benefit,” he adds.
Chiropractor videos on social media increase risky behavior
Although there are known risks associated with spinal adjustment, the treatments have gained popularity in recent years—in part due to social media. Videos showing medical and self-care content are popular on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. These health or wellness videos sometimes focus on specific treatments, such as back and neck cracking. Many of these videos can be satisfying for viewers because they provide before, after, and during footage and feature participants who claim to have received great results.
Back and neck cracking videos also include the signature ‘cracking’ sound that is often associated with spinal manipulation. For some viewers, this sound can seem like an indication that something significant has occurred.
Some studies on chiropractic care have even found that an audible cracking or popping sound during manipulation is linked to reports of increased pain relief.[] However, data on this topic varies across studies.
On social media, videos of back cracking can go viral. There are chiropractors with dedicated followings and hundreds of back and neck cracking videos. Some experts have raised concerns about these videos. People who are inspired to crack their own spines or those of friends or family members run the risk of doing so incorrectly, leading to injury.
The ‘back crack challenge’
In 2021, the ‘back crack challenge’ circulated on TikTok.[] In more recent years, individual videos of neck and back cracking have gone viral. At the same time, videos of nurses, physicians, and chiropractors urging social media users to exercise caution have garnered millions of views. In many of these viral warning videos, practitioners have discussed the potential side effects of incorrectly cracking the spine, stressing that it is safest for people to seek professional pain management.
“There’s no danger for the public in viewing chiropractic videos. As long as they are careful to go to good practitioners, most people will be fine,” Dr. Okubadejo says. He also cautions that the patients seeking this care should be aware of their musculoskeletal health history before making an appointment.