Cervical Artery Dissection Caused by Electrical Cupping Therapy with High-Negative Pressure - Case Report

Cervical artery dissection is an important cause of stroke in the young. The etiology is still discussed controversial. The most obvious reason for a dissection of extracranial arteries is due to a trauma, eg. after car accidents or other high speed traumas such as high-velocity road traffic accidents. Besides these clear cases, chiropractic neck maneuvers represent potential reasons for vessel injuries.

We here report a rare case of secondary cervical artery dissection after so-called cupping therapy and a preventive treatment with a direct oral anticoagulant.

Therapists using this technique should be aware of the potentially devastating side effects. The diagnosis of ICA dissection should be considered with any new onset of unknown neck pain or headache, specifically in combination with neurological deficits.