It was supposed to be a routine Thursday. Caitlin Jensen, a 28-year-old who’d just nailed her degree in chemistry and biology from Georgia Southern University, walked into a chiropractor's office for some neck tension. She probably thought she'd walk out feeling looser, maybe ready to tackle the career she’d worked so hard for. Instead, 21 minutes later, she was in the back of an ambulance.
The world watched in shock as the story broke, but keeping up with a Caitlin Jensen chiropractor update isn’t always easy when the news cycle moves on. Honestly, what happened to her is the kind of thing that makes you second-guess every "crack" you hear during an adjustment. It wasn't just a bad reaction; it was a catastrophic medical event.
The Day Everything Fractured
Caitlin’s life changed on June 16, 2022. During a neck adjustment, four of her arteries were dissected. For those who aren't medical buffs, an arterial dissection is basically a tear in the inner lining of the artery. When that happens, blood can pool or clot, eventually cutting off the supply to the brain.
In Caitlin’s case, it triggered a massive stroke. Her heart stopped for ten minutes. Ten minutes of nothing. Doctors at Memorial Health in Savannah had to fight to bring her back, and when they did, the reality was grim. She was paralyzed, barely able to move anything except her eyes and a few toes.
Where is Caitlin Jensen Now?
If you're looking for a quick fix or a "miracle cure" story, this isn't it. Recovery from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) of this scale is a slow, grueling marathon. By late 2025 and moving into 2026, Caitlin has made strides that seemed impossible during those first weeks in the ICU.
She spent a significant amount of time at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, which is basically the gold standard for spinal and brain injury rehab. Her mother, Darlene Jensen, has been a powerhouse, documenting the journey on CaringBridge and GoFundMe.
Recent updates show that Caitlin is:
- Communicating better: While she still faces massive hurdles, she has regained the ability to speak some words and uses a soundboard to fill in the gaps.
- Moving with purpose: She’s been working on regaining control of her limbs. It started with wiggling a toe; now, she’s been seen in videos playing simple games of catch with her brother or using her left arm to wipe her own mouth.
- Living in a custom home: Thanks to a massive wave of community support and an anonymous donor, Caitlin moved into a fully wheelchair-accessible home. It even has a music room and raised garden beds because, despite the injury, the person she was before still exists.
The Reality of the "Chiropractic Stroke"
There is a lot of debate around this. Some chiropractors argue that the dissection might have already been starting, and the pain is what brought the patient in. However, the surgeons who saved Caitlin’s life were pretty clear: they attributed the trauma directly to the neck manipulation.
A study in the journal Stroke: Vascular and Interventional Neurology suggests that while these events are rare—roughly 1 in 20,000 spinal manipulations—the results are life-altering. It’s a risk that most people just aren't told about when they sign those intake forms.
The Financial and Emotional Toll
You've probably seen the GoFundMe. It has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, but here’s the kicker: that money disappears fast. Specialized therapy, 24/7 care, and medical equipment are incredibly expensive. Darlene had to quit her job to become a full-time caregiver.
The family did receive an insurance settlement from the chiropractor, but as Darlene mentioned in various updates, it was "very small" compared to the lifetime of care Caitlin will need. Most chiropractors carry relatively low-limit malpractice insurance, which doesn't go far when you're looking at a 28-year-old who might need help for the next 50 years.
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How to Protect Yourself
If you are still visiting a chiropractor or considering one for neck pain, there are some hard truths to face. You should know the "red flags" of a vertebral artery dissection immediately following an adjustment:
- The "Thunderclap" Headache: A sudden, severe pain unlike anything you've felt.
- Vertigo or Dizziness: Feeling like the room is spinning.
- Vision Issues: Double vision or loss of sight in one eye.
- Dysarthria: Slurred speech or trouble swallowing.
- Ataxia: Sudden clumsiness or loss of coordination.
If you feel any of these after a session, don't "wait and see." Go to the ER. Tell them you just had a neck adjustment.
Take Actionable Steps for Your Health
If you’re currently experiencing chronic neck pain, consider a multi-disciplinary approach rather than relying solely on high-velocity thrusts.
- Consult a Neurologist or Physiatrist: Get an imaging-based diagnosis for your pain before any manual manipulation.
- Physical Therapy: Focus on strengthening the supporting muscles of the neck (deep neck flexors) to reduce the "need" for constant cracking.
- Informed Consent: Explicitly ask your provider about the risk of arterial dissection. If they tell you there is "zero risk," find a new provider.
Caitlin’s journey is a testament to human resilience, but it's also a sobering reminder that "routine" medical procedures carry real weight. She continues to fight every single day to regain the life that was interrupted in a 20-minute appointment.
To support her ongoing recovery, you can find the family's official updates on their GoFundMe page, which remains the primary source for accurate information on her progress. Monitoring for new symptoms after any spinal procedure is the best way to ensure a similar tragedy doesn't happen to you.