Joanna Kowalczyk chose to seek the expertise of a chiropractor even after medical advice from her hospital. Unfortunately, during an inquest, it was determined that her decision might have been responsible for taking her life.

In September 2021, Joanna Kowalczyk sustained a severe neck injury during her time at the gym. She visited a hospital and the doctors advised her to undergo a spinal tap. Per Dailymail, this was supposed to be a surgical procedure to correct the neck pain and check for internal bleeding. However, as heard by the inquest, the 29-year-old declined by discharging herself from the hospital.

Instead, she sought advice from a chiropractor who ruled her diagnosis as cervical facet joint syndrome. The expert then proposed an adjustment procedure which the client consented to. Meanwhile, Kowalczyk maintained that her doctors knew she had decided to seek help elsewhere. However, she had failed to submit any prior medical observation or diagnosis at this new facility.

On October 16, after one of the many procedures, Kowalczyk began to feel dizziness, a tingling sensation, and vomiting. Yet, she chose to stay away from the hospital. Instead, the patient chose the chiropractic center where she rested—despite being advised otherwise by the chiropractors.

Sadly, things turned from bad to worse, leaving the patient with speech difficulty, migraine, and inability to walk. First responders arrived on the scene but diagnosed her with migraine as they heard that her condition was normal following the chiropractic processes. But eventually, on October 19, Joanna Kowalczyk died.

Following the unfortunate incident, the coroner’s office officially questioned the fact that chiropractors aren’t expected to go through a patient’s medical history. Coroner Leila Benyounces insisted that the General Chiropractic Council must seek to establish new rules.

#Clique, what are your thoughts?