Cervical myelopathy as complication of manual therapy in a patient with a narrow cervical canal

: A 31-year-old man had manipulative therapy because of pain in the neck, the left shoulder and the left arm. Immediately after cervical traction he developed neurological symptoms. Clinical investigation led to the diagnosis of cervical myelopathy. The patient had a rather narrow cervical canal. Six weeks after treatment with external fixation and corticosteroids the situation had improved markedly, with remaining hypesthesia in both hands and the right leg.